Kids got talent

Every year, schools from kindergarden to universities in Japan have a school festival. At kindergarden and primary school it's called "Gakushuu Happyokai"- Presentation of Learning. From Junior High up it's "Bunkasai" - culture festival.

The festivals differ at each level. But one of the basic tenets is "look at what we can do".

Last weekend was the bunkasai at my junior high, and here are some of the talents of my kiddles. I was amazed by the amount of English running wild.

 The Bunkasai poster - a collage of Post-It size pieces. The slogan on the yellow sign says, " Gateway, let's advance to a new future."

 Some colour by numbers that I did with the Special Ed.

 The 2nd years'  crafts.

 The 2nd years had to do a PR poster. This one is about saving the environment.

 I LOVE this! Starting below the exclamation point it says, "Makeruna Nihon!" It means "Don't Surrender, Japan." Almost cried at this one.

 One of my best English students' in the 2nd year.

 She also won the District area dental poster competition. The slogan is 80 years - 20 teeth. (Older Japanese people have really bad teeth, so there are education campaigns from Kindergarden up.)

 

 Another entrant who drew with an English slogan.

 This is another of the PR posters. This one for club activities.

 And another.

 This is a PR poster for literacy/libraries.

 And this one is for the band.

This is for setsuden. It  says "Setsude shiyou, Mirai no tame ni." Let's conserve energy, for the sake of the future. Since the March 11 earthquake, my part of Japan is on "Setsuden" - energy conservation measures.

Don't my babies rock?
(PS, is it just me or can the average Japanese draw/paint way better than the average Westerner? )