At the end of July, CHI co-founders Tom and Lilka Areton visited Sacramento, CA to take part in a special celebration. This year is the 30th anniversary of Keiwa High School’s participation in CHI’s Group Homestay program. Keiwa students have traveled to Academic Program Administrator Cathy Johnson’s territory in the Sacramento area every year since 1982. This makes Keiwa by far CHI’s longest tenured Group Homestay partner school.
Keiwa was founded in 1968 in Niigata, a city of about 800,000 on Japan’s west coast about 200 miles outside Tokyo. The school shares CHI’s belief in the value of international travel and cultural exchange. The staff actively encourages its students to participate in overseas exchange programs, and CHI is proud to be their partner organization of choice in America.
At the celebration in Sacramento, in addition to Tom and Lilka, were Cathy Johnson, many of the Teacher Coordinators who have helped with Keiwa’s group visits over the years, and of course this year’s delegation from Keiwa. In addition, many host families were represented, and one of the event’s highlights was the participation of some past host brothers and sisters who have since grown up and now have children of their own.
It was a memorable evening for everyone involved, and the event was capped by Tom, Lilka, and Cathy presenting this year’s Keiwa teacher chaperone with gifts marking the momentous anniversary. Check out the pictures below from the group’s stay as well as the celebration. And thank you, Keiwa, for being such a loyal and terrific partner. Here’s to another great 30 years together!
