Activity report 2016

　“Presentation of SGH Research Task in 2016” was held in our 1st gymnasium on 24 February. It consisted of 2 parts. Poster sessions of SGH Research TaskⅠ(A compulsory subject for the 1st year) & SGH Research Task ⅡA/ⅡB (An elective subject of the 2nd year) were held for the 1st part at 3 venues. They answered the questions in front of posters. Seniors instructed & advised juniors in many places. Representatives of SGH Research Task subjects made presentations on stage for the 2nd part. They answered questions after the presentation. SGH Research Task Ⅲ (An elective subject of the 3rd year students) started from this fiscal year. A students that had delivered an English presentation at the international institution in Beijing, China last August, gave the same presentation to juniors.

　About 40 people participated in this presentation including teachers & lecturers in & out of Miyagi prefecture. We got many questions & advice about our research during the poster presentations. Thank you very much.

　　
SGH Research Task Ⅰ　　　　　　　SGH Research Task ⅡＢ　　　　　SGH Research Task ⅡＡ

SGH Research Task Ⅲ

　Ms. Tanigawa, a 1st year student of Senior high school participated in Model United Nations on 11 February, 2017 as a representative of our school. 14 schools, 205 students (including Kumon Kokusai Junior/Senior High School) participated in “MUNK12th” at Kumon Kokusai Junior/Senior High School in Totsuka ward, Yokohama City. Model United Nations of Kumon Kokusai Junior/Senior High School (MUNK) is the 12th traditional event. Our school was invited this year.

　This MUNK’s arrangement was held by KUMON students, who prepared meeting materials, contacted attendants & managed the conference progress. This year’s subject was “Nuclear weapons” & 133 countries discussed in English according to the Hague method.

　They lobbied in the library & computer room & others in the morning, 3 sessions were held in the afternoon & 2 resolutions were passed.

≪Impression of Ms. Tanigawa≫
　I participated in MUNK as I had interests when the class of Research Task held Model United Nations several times. I was in charge of Tajikistan but I did not know about this country. I investigated several things & wrote DR but it was really hard. I was so happy when the resolution which Tajikistan & other countries made was passed on the day. I felt that my advanced preparation was really important in this participation. I am grateful that I was able to have a valuable experience.

　
A formal discussion　　　　　　　　　Lobbying

　We visited Okitama in Yamagata prefecture for surveys & research & stayed for two days & one night from 27 to 28 January. 2 groups of 4 students　were escorted & instructed by Associate Professor Daisuke Komori, (Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University who has been teaching Research Task through a year) & 2 university students.

　The 1st group of 2 students whose research theme was “What kind of time zones have heavy rain which cause disasters?” & “What kind of time zones have flood damage?” A regional survey conducted at a heavy flood-prone area along Yoshino River in Nanyo city in 2015 & 2016. We heard from Mr.Takahashi, the head of Nanyo Fire Company, Mr. Yasuhiko in Disaster Prevention Division & Mr. Inoue in Crisis-Management Division in Nanyo City Office in the morning. We conducted interview research in the afternoon with residents around the Kanayama & Taro areas which had flood damage before & Koriyama area which never had flood damage.

　The 2nd group of 2 students whose research theme was “Popularity of river which we understood from travel magazine.” visited a water park, Shirataka Yana Park along Mogami River basin the next day, then they visited the shopping street in Nagai City to request for a questionnaire survey.

≪Impression of students≫
◆The 1st group: The 2nd year Ms. Takahashi & Mr. Hoshi
　We heard various stories & opinions from people who had flood damage. We learnt of the current status of flood control measures & our research significance. We would like to advance research to reduce disasters by using the opinions of Nanyo City people.
◆The 2nd group: The 2nd year Mr. Sato & Ms. Aonuma
　We were happy that many people who worked & came for shopping in Nagai City shopping street participated willingly in a questionnaire survey about “Nagai foot pass”. We could underst& the thoughts of residents about the river, we will use it in our future research.

　　
Request for a questionnaire 　　　　Pictures when a flood occur　　　　　Survey at Shirataka Yana Park 
survey　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　along Mogami River basin

The 4th “Go Global Japan Expo 2016” was held at Tohoku University Katahira Campus on Sunday, the 11th of December. Our 3 students who selected SGH Research Task ⅡA presented about a summary of our SGH project, subjects for SGH Research Task & Mekong River fieldwork under the theme “A high school student is also “Global ”! ～Introduction of the approach to Super Global High School(SGH)～” from 12:00 to 13:00 at Sakura Hall at the 2nd floor of Katahira Campus. They are going to present the product of their study utilizing public comments & findings received this time at many presentations for the future.

They were asked about the pack test & presentation outside the school by other SGH designated school (Sendai Shirayuri High School, Kesennuma High School) after their presentation. They answered those questions politely. After our presentation, other designated schools presented about their approaches. We could gain a further underst&ing of their approaches.We felt that agriculture requires sophisticated expertise & farmers both in Tohoku Region & in South East Asia are on the front line of a price war in a global world.

A state of presentation of our students

We invited 6 farmers who lived in Ichihasama at Ichihasama agricultural environment improving center & conducted an interview research, the purpose was “To learn the difficulties of farmers & how agricultural water is used by talking directly to farmers & to increase the technique of an interview.” from 10:00 to 12:00 on Sunday, the 27th of November.

3 or 4 students made a group, & interviewed one farmer for about 25 minutes. Interviewing a total of 4 farmers. They repeated this 4 times.

They are going to present the product of their study utilizing public comments & findings received this time at many presentations for the future.

They had lunch in a circle after the interviews & they made speeches one by one while mixing their questions (which they could not ask) & issues (which farmers could not talk about enough during the interviews). One student made a speech stating that she was surprised by the difference between information she had gathered from books or internet sources & what she heard from farmers.

They asked questions about current difficulties of farmers in Tohoku Region & how to use daily water & so on in questions & answers. They could learn the homogeneity & the heterogeneity of consciousness of farmers in the Tohoku Region & South East Asia with interest. We felt that agriculture requires sophisticated expertise & farmers both in Tohoku Region & in South East Asia are on the front line of a price war in a global world.

　　
An interview research to 　　　　　　Speeches from farmers　　　　　　　All participants
farmers

Research Task I of the 1st year Senior High School students was to experience learning of Model United Nations 5 times following schedule and themes.
※Model United Nations is…. To learn the positions of countries and the issues of international societies through the simulation of U.N. General Assembly.

　　
The description of how to　　　　　　A free debate among countries　　　Meetings with partners
proceed for　　　　　　　　　　　　(Caucus)　　　　　　　　　　　　【The considerations of the 
“Model United Nations”　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　students who learned at　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Model United Nations 】

・I felt the difficulty how to negotiate with countries whether I would keep my country’s 
　　opinion straight or I would ask to use a part of my country’s opinion.
・(Answer the question, “Are there any useful things in your daily life?”)
　　When I watch the TV news, I am able to know & think about it objectively. What is 
　　the problem for this country & for the other country? If I only watch the TV news,
　　 I will forget about it soon but if I think about it once, I will never forget about it.　　　　　　

16 students in the 3rd year of senior high school who took SGH Research TaskⅢ joined the “Environmental Marche” which was held by Shokei Gakuin University, Department of Environment Planning at the arcade of Sunmall Ichibancho in Sendai city on Sunday, 26 Jun.
They presented the product of the study which was started from last year for the public. 2 of our students were awarded the “President prize of Shokei Gakuin University” at the award ceremony at the end of the event.

They are going to present the product of their study utilizing public comments & findings received this time at many presentations for the future.

10 students in the third year of senior high school (then-the second year of senior high school) who presented the product of their study at the “Technical research presentation of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Tohoku Chapter” conducted at Iwate University this March were awarded “the Chapter manager prize” at the annual meeting of Japan Society of Civil Engineer, Tohoku Chapter held at Hotel Metropolitan Sendai on 19 May.

Prize winning content:
Research activities about rivers in the Tohoku region by students of Miyagi Prefectural Sendai Nika High School
Award winners:
Miyagi Prefectural Sendai Nika High School & SGH project team in Tohoku University

Although our students are only high school students, they participated with many people from private companies & universities who also participated at this event.
They were commended at the award ceremony one by one. They earned applause from participants & received encouraging words from the presenter. They were nervous at the beginning of ceremony as it was the first time to receive an award at an adult presentation ceremony, but gradually they had smiles on their faces.
A special thank you to Mr. So Kazama, Mr.Daisuke Komori, Mr. Junya Fukumoto & many other teachers for coaching us & please continue your kind guidance.

※6 students who attended the award ceremony(Ms.Urara Imura, Ms.Yuika Oyatsu, Ms. Rina Tachibana, Mr.Koshi Tokairin, Ms.Ayako Hashimoto, Ms.Kasumi Muroi) & teacher, Mr. Yonemoto (Representative of Sendai Nika high school)
※4 students (Mr. Go Gu, Ms.Ayane Sasaki, Ms.Natsuko Suenaga, Ms.Sayaka Chiba) were unable to attend the ceremony because of personal reasons.