Japanese students visit for part of summer

Japanese students and their hosts gathered for a picnic to play games and eat at Austintown Park on Aug. 2. Students arrived at Ohio State University on July 23 and then traveled to homes throughout the state to experience three weeks of being in “a real American family.” Learning the culture, experiencing local activities, life on a farm or in suburbs, language improvement, American food, and long-term friendships are among the goals of the adventure. The three weeks uses the entire Japanese summer break from school. Students, above, from left, front row are Momoko Mikuni and hostess Rachel O’Reilly from Middlefield; Kaiya Imai, Kara Burcaw hosting Runa Kohara in North Benton. Back row, from left, Molly Jedel hosting chaperone Hinako Sato in Paris, Ohio; chaperone Yuto Tanaka with host Kevin Williamson in Shaker Heights.