Oya No Kai, Inc.

Each year Oya No Kai, Inc. sponsors an auction to benefit the Japanese Magnet Program. Although the fifth grade class at Richmond's JMP is responsible for most aspects of the auction, the entire school makes it happen. All JMP classes support the auction by donating and by attending auction night. The Oya No Kai, Inc. general fund receives 10% of the auction proceeds to help support and maintain the JMP. The Intern Program, which provides native Japanese speakers to the classrooms, also receives funds through a very special moment of giving on auction night. Most of the proceeds from the auction will go towards sending the fifth grade JMP students to Japan. This annual exchange experience is an amazing opportunity for the Japanese Magnet Program fifth graders to demonstrate their Japanese language abilities and to bond the Japanese and American cultures. At this time, the fifth grade class, both parents and children, are preparing for the 11th Annual "Our Dreams Take Flight" Auction to be held Saturday, April 9, 2005 at The Portland Expo Center and for their very special two week trip to Japan.

This year the fifth graders and their worthy chaperones will leave on June 15 and travel first to Kyoto where they will have the opportunity to stay in a Youth Hostel and see such famous sights as Kinkakuji, Kiyomizu and Nijo Castle. After Kyoto the group will head to Fukuno, Toyama where they will stay in home stays as well as visit Fukuno School, a hot springs and a traditional mountain village in Gokayama. The group will then divide in two. One group will go to Kobe and be hosted by families of Sumaura School, a private school program well over a hundred years old. The second group will go to Numazu, near Mt. Fuji, where the families of Katoh School will host them. Both Katoh School and Sumaura School are visiting Portland and staying with Richmond Host Families this school year. The groups will then converge in Tokyo for some sightseeing day trips and a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. For the many children in the JMP who have not seen Japanese spoken much outside of school, this trip to Japan is vital to their continuing interest in studying Japanese in middle and high school.

On behalf of this year's fifth grade class, thank you for your support of the Japanese Magnet Program and "Our Dreams Take Flight" Auction 2005.