2022 APCC Junior Ambassadors Collaborate Across the Pacific in Bridge Virtual Summer Camp

The Japan-America Society of Hawaii’s (JASH) Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention (APCC) program for 2022 came to a close at the end of August.

Over the summer, following their adventures at Chozen-Ji and the ʻAkahiao Nature Institute, our four Junior Ambassadors (JAs) had two final JASH-led workshops on June 25 and July 9 to prepare them for sharing local culture with other youth leaders from around Asia and the Pacific and to practice using Zoom. They brainstormed a list of keywords related to food, locations, daily life, and local and Hawaiian culture that they thought would be interesting for others to learn about. They also created a list of descriptors for Japanese culture that they learned through our workshops, at school, or from their own experiences. With both lists in hand, they identified similarities and differences between life in Hawaii versus Japan.

Jake presents on the culture of Hong Kong, one of the other participating countries in the APCC

JAs at our final in-person workshop before the Bridge Virtual Summer Camp

The APCC’s official Bridge Virtual Summer Camp (BVSC) took place over three Zoom meetings on July 23, August 6, and August 20. On those weekends, JAs around the world attended three-hour Zoom programs led by the APCC’s head office in Fukuoka. Due to time zone differences, the participating countries were split into a Saturday Group and a Sunday Group. The Sunday Group included our Hawaii delegation, as well as JAs from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, Kiribati, Ipoh, Oakland, Atlanta, Dalian, and Peru.

Excited to start the 2022 APCC BVSC

The BVSC included both large and small group activities. JAs were divided into teams with whom they would meet and collaborate on projects over the course of the BVSC. They shared about aspects of their daily lives, such as their hobbies and favorite foods, and worked together to think of ways they can support the UN’s “Sustainable Development Goals” in their local communities. They also learned a dance choreographed specially to the APCC’s “We Are The Bridge” theme song, for which Hawaii Peace Ambassador and former JA Betsy Wo was one of the teachers. Each meeting ended with some free time, where JAs were randomly assigned to new groups so they could meet more of their peers.

Our four JAs did a fantastic job proactively volunteering for activities, attentively listening to their peers, and keeping on top of their daily assignments. There was a lot of information shared over the long Zoom meetings, but our JAs always logged on with positive attitudes. We are thankful that technology has allowed us and the APCC to stay connected despite the continuation of travel restrictions.

Learning about Bridge Club and alumni opportunities

Our JAs celebrated the completion of the 2022 program on August 27 during a potluck picnic at Kapiolani Park with members of Bridge Club Hawaii and chaperones from our Kona overnight camp. In addition to enjoying all the delicious food everyone generously shared, they competed for small prizes and bragging rights in kendama games led by Lynn Lethin, Japanese teacher at Niu Valley Middle School and JASH member, and JASH APCC Program Specialist Christianne Ono.

JAs, Bridge Club Hawaii Members, and siblings enjoy kendama games at the picnic

If you know a young leader born between August 1, 2011 and July 31, 2012, they could be in our next group of Junior Ambassadors! Join our APCC listserv to be the first to know about future programs. For more information, contact Christianne at cono@jashawaii.org.