Hello, This is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku Office.
 From Tuesday, August 6th, 2024, to Thursday, August 8th, 2024, the Summer Camp 2024 was held at the Hakusanroku Campus. A total of 29 junior high school students, ranging from 1st to 3rd year, participated in the 3-day, 2-night camp. The participants worked on a single project, from brainstorming ideas to prototyping and giving presentations. They learned in English through Engineering Design and STEAM Education, which is implemented by ICT using Design Thinking.

Day 1: Tuesday, August 6th, 2024

 In the morning, after greetings from President Masaaki Shikada and Vice President Mamoru Mukai, Omihito Matsushita sensei gave an introduction in English about the unique features of ICT, such as STEAM Education and Engineering Design Education.
 After lunch, an icebreaker activity was held. First, the students asked each other questions about their hobbies and favorite colors. Then, they introduced themselves in front of everyone, and the other students had to judge whether the information was true or not, raising a “×” for false and a “✓” for true. Next, the students were divided into groups and played a game where they had to guide a ball into a designated area. One person was blindfolded, while the other three took on the role of giving instructions, helping to develop their teamwork skills.
 After that, the students returned to the classroom, where the project theme, "Imagineering a Dream Company Aimed at the Future We Want to See!!” was announced. In recent years, while the concept of a corporate purpose or vision statement is becoming more of a reason to choose to work at a particular company, many young students tend to be attracted to tangible factors like company names and salaries when choosing their careers. Therefore, this project involved a workshop aimed at helping students understand the importance of the role that companies should play in society. The workshop was divided into two main phases. During the first phase on the first day, students explored why certain everyday social issues are considered problems. They deepened their understanding of the core of these issues and used "Why" questions to investigate the root causes, ultimately identifying the real challenges. From there, they generated specific solutions to address these problems.
 In the evening, a Thai Kite Making activity was held together with the students from the Global Summer Camp, which was being held simultaneously at the Hakusanroku Campus. The students were divided into groups consisting of both Summer Camp and Global Summer Camp participants, and under the guidance of Lapananrat Pantawat, a 1st year student from Thailand, they used paper and bamboo to build kite. After designing the kites, they enjoyed flying them in the courtyard of the Hakusanroku Campus. Later, the students participated in a bouldering activity.

Day 2: Wednesday, August 7th, 2024

 In the morning, as part of the English activities, a game called Running Telephone was held. The first student in each group was given an English sentence, which they had to memorize and accurately pass on to the next person. The last student had to deliver the message exactly as it was first relayed to the teacher. The students’ ability to memorize the sentences perfectly was impressive. The smooth communication made everyone appreciate their focus and memory skills. 
 After that, an idea generation activity called My Worst Idea was conducted. Each group was given items such as boxing gloves, ab rollers, and jump ropes, and had to present the worst possible way to use these items.
 Afterwards, the project activities continued from the previous day. In the second phase of the workshop, the focus was on the companies that would implement the generated solution ideas. The students examined how these ideas could be applied to solve real-world social issues. They also delved deeper into the purpose (the reason for a company's existence in society) underlying the solutions. Additionally, to further clarify the company’s impact and significance in society, the students considered the company’s logo and slogan as well.
 After that, students conducted an experiment on crystals as part of the STEAM Science Experiment. First, the students played a game where they searched for mineral crystals, such as quartz, with distinctive appearances among a variety of stones. Following this, they attended a lecture on the structures of crystals found in everyday objects and chemical substances. Afterward, they observed recrystallized chemical substances under a microscope, examining the shapes of the crystals and how they sparkled with colors when viewed through a polarizing filter. Finally, using beads, the students created keychains inspired by the crystal structures of chemical substances. 

Day 3: Thursday, August 8th, 2024

 The first activity of the day was called Penguin Line, where students practiced communication using various methods. This activity aimed to strengthen team unity in preparation for the final presentations and rehearsals.
　In the final presentations, many parents gathered at the Hakusanroku Campus to witness the students' achievements. The students presented their ideas in English based on the theme “Imagineering a Dream Company Aimed at the Future We Want to See!!” Their presentations included the social issues they focused on, the challenges arising from these issues, an analysis of the causes, and two proposed solutions. In addition, students introduced the name of the company that would provide these solutions, the company’s purpose and mission, and its logo and slogan, offering concrete solutions to the social problems.
 After the presentations, the parents voted on the most outstanding team in a mock investment session. As a result, two teams were selected for an Excellence Award, and ICT Coins (certificates) were presented.

 The Summer Camp brought together participants from diverse backgrounds, differing in age, school, and hometown, allowing them to share ideas from various perspectives based on their unique knowledge and experiences. The thinking methods, processes for generating new value, and experiences of collaborative creation and storytelling will undoubtedly be valuable for the students in their future learning. I hope that many of them found this experience inspiring and that it will lead them to consider enrolling in ICT.

Yuri Makada