Citizen Staff/Dena Harris
WAUPUN ? Kanto Fujihira, left, and Kyosuke Mikaim, both ninth graders at Kuniyoshi Junior High School in Isumi, Japan, plant their pinwheels in the "Pinwheels for Peace" garden in front of the Waupun Area Middle School.
WAUPUN—The Waupun Area School District's relationship with their sister school, Kuniyoshi Junior High School in Isumi, Japan, has been sustained for the last 17 years.
Sixteen middle school students with three chaperones and an interpreter arrived at about 2 p.m. Sept. 30. They were introduced to Superintendent Randy Refsland and Principal Steve Buss before meeting their host families. The students will be staying in Waupun for six days, departing Oct. 6.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the middle school assembled at 7:45 a.m. for the welcoming ceremony. The Japanese students were introduced to the student body, sang a song, performed some dances, demonstrated a form of martial arts called Kendo and asked the Waupun students to learn a dance.
After the ceremony, the Japanese students 'planted' pinwheels in the "Pinwheels for Peace" garden formed outside the main doors of the middle school. Students and faculty made over 100 pinwheels for the garden out of decorated paper, a wooden dowel and a tack.
The exchange students had many events planned for them during the week. They were going to visit the elementary schools and take in some sights in Wisconsin.