A Labor of Love....

For quite a few months now a very special group of people have been getting ready for a very special event...

Tomodachi Gakko

It takes quite a few volunteers to run the Tomodachi Gakko or Japanese Friendship School in Cressy...and each year they reconvene in the heat of July to make a special place of learning and...well...friendship as the name says!

My part in Tomodachi Gakko is the art room.  I started working there as a helper when my girlies were young and lately I have been in charge of the art room and my girlies are some of the helpers!

Madison.....

and Lane....

This year we recruited a new helper...our Amy!!!  She just fits right in!

We decorated the entrance a little bit....some cherry blossoms and photos...

This year the Gakko theme is Family, Friends, and Home...this pic of the local orchards fits right in!

Tomodachi Gakko offers cooking, singing, taiko, kendo, karate, Japanese language, history of the Japanese internment, guest speakers, and of course....the art room...

The art room is a beehive of activity...and it all seems rather crazy until the end of the week when all the students have created some really wonderful pieces of art.

This year we are working on making cards to send to children in Japan, creating a family tree, putting together time capsules for the students to save and revisit later, and we will be making a stepping stone to commemorate this year's Tomodachi Gakko!

The art room is only one small aspect of the Tomodachi Gakko experience.  Each teacher for each grade offers so much to all the students and it is truly a week of new adventures and experiences.

Stay tuned for updates on our art projects!

xoxo Elizabeth