“Donation to help U46 students study abroad”

Donation to help U46 students study abroad

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 12:16 AM PST

Donation to help U46 students study abroad

By Emily McFarlan emcfarlan@stmedianetwork.com Feb 27, 2011 02:16AM

The U46 World Languages and Inernational Studies Academy focuses on both the Spanish and Japanese languages, international business and world history and cultures. Juniors in the academy have the opportunity to study abroad for three weeks over the summer in either Japan or Spain, depending which language track they've chosen.

STREAMWOOD — Studying abroad is a "life-changing opportunity for students," according to Ryoko Manabe, Japanese instructor at the U46 World Languages and International Studies Academy.

"Learning a language is not very easy," Manabe said. "They can learn a lot of stuff from books and other programs. Studying abroad is the best way to learn a language."

This summer, that opportunity will be more affordable for students of the academy, housed at Streamwood High School. OMRON, a company that is headquartered in Japan and has an office in Schaumburg, recently donated $10,000 to the academy to help defer the cost of the Japanese trip offered in the program.

The U46 World Languages and International Studies Academy focuses on both the Spanish and Japanese languages, international business and world history and cultures, Manabe said.

And juniors in the academy have the opportunity to study abroad for three weeks over the summer in either Japan or Spain, depending which language track they've chosen, she said. Many begin fundraising for the opportunity their freshman year, she added.

This summer, 18 students will study abroad in Japan, Manabe said.

Students live with a host family, attend school, visit famous sites in the country and learn more about Japanese culture. They also speak only Japanese during the trip, allowing them to apply their language skills in an authentic setting, according to U46.

Manabe said the academy first made connections with OMRON through the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago in about 2005.

OMRON makes medical equipment, public transportation and traffic management solutions and components for automobiles, electronics and factories, according to OMRON.com. The company also donates 0.1 percent of its profits to nonprofits each year, Manabe said.

"They just found out we are both very close to each other, and they didn't know we offered a Japanese program," she said.

The president of the company then urged the academy to apply for its grant.

This is the fourth year OMRON has provided funding to the program. They also provide job shadowing experiences for students each year, allowing them to spend the whole day working with employees, according to the school district.

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International Studies

Sunday, February 27, 2011