Junior Reporters - Miyagi 1

Miyagi 1

Welcoming Italy
by Tsurugaya School for Special Education

As the arrival of the Italian team in Sendai approaches, the excitement is building up at Tsurugaya School for Special Education. Some players are scheduled to come to the school on May 29, when the students will hand them messages of support. The students have been posing for photos, smiling as they hold Japanese and Italian flags; trying hard to learn how to spell tricky Italian words; and some have even been imagining what the Italian players look like and drawing pictures of them. They will collect together the completed messages from the elementary-, middle-, and high-school sections of the school and present them to the players.

On May 20 a local newspaper and TV station came to the school to report on preparations for welcoming the Italy team. They took photos of students in the middle-school section making a 6 meter by 3 meter banner saying "Forza Azzurri" (the slogan of the Italian team, meaning "Blue Power"). The teachers expected the students to be nervous, but they got on with their work just like it was a normal school day.

(The date of the visit was changed to May 27. At one time, Italy canceled a public practice session and some people said they might cancel the school visit, but they are going to keep their promise and come after all.)

		Elementary Section Students from all grades of the school's elementary section made a flag together. They painted the cloth in red and green using their hands and feet. At the end, they stuck letters written on paper onto the flag and were delighted to see the finished flag.

		Middle-School Section In the middle- and high-school sections, meanwhile, students made Italian flags to be displayed around the school. They carefully stuck on pieces of red, white, and green paper, crying "Finished!" when they were done. The kids are hoping that the Italian players will look at the flags.

		High-School Section The students of the high-school section decided to welcome the Italian players by making blue pompoms to match the blue of Italy's shirts. They also stuck lots of Italian flags on the classroom walls and were really excited about the players' visit. One said, "I wonder what players will come," and another replied, "Me too. When they come, let's shake their hands and greet them by saying 'Buongiorno'" ("hello" in Italian).

* Tsurugaya School for Special Education is located in a social welfare center in a residential area in the northeastern part of Sendai City. It has 144 mentally disabled students. The kids there learn things that can help them in their daily lives, making things, physical education, and music, under the school's slogan "bright, friendly, and lively." The school aims to enable the students to become active, independent members of society. It takes part in a range of exchange activities with middle schools and the local community.