Hello, This is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku Office.
 The 32nd MILE (Mobile Intensive Learning Experience) Program was held from Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, to Monday, December 23rd, 2024, for 6 nights and 7 days. The MILE Program, which began in 1989, is an exchange program with Singapore Polytechnic (SP), and this year marked its 32nd iteration. When ICT was Kanazawa Technical College (KTC), KTC students would visit Singapore as a school trip and then SP students would also visit Japan. SP students were hosted in homestays in Kanazawa, which fostered mutual friendships. There was a period of time when exchanges could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program resumed last year, and this year, 10 SP students and 2 chaperones visited our school.
 For the first half of the program, the participants stayed at the KIT International Community House, where they mainly interacted with KIT students. In the latter half, they moved to the Hakusanroku Campus where they lived with ICT students. The main activities of the program at Hakusanroku Campus are listed below:

Friday, December 20th: Arrival at Hakusanroku Campus

 On December 20th, SP students spent the morning at KIT before arriving at Hakusanroku Campus in the evening. Then they were given an introduction lecture about our school and a tour of the Hakusanroku campus. After that, they had dinner at the cafeteria, then ice breaking activities were held with 1st and 2nd year students.
 During the ice breaking activities, 2 games were played. The first game was called Mingo. In this game, there are 25 squares with various questions, and you ask your partner one question, and if you get an answer, you fill in the name of your partner in that square and then find a new partner. Questions included “Do you like spicy food?” “Can you sleep sitting up?” and “Do you like Japanese manga?” The students were able to get to know each other by asking each other questions.
 Next was a game called Building a Paper Cup Tower, in which each student was given a chopstick and had to work with their teammates to transport and stack cups. SP students and ICT students formed mixed teams. When the start signal was given, the students struggled to pick up the cups and dropped them several times, but they gradually got the hang of it and succeeded in building up the cups by cooperating and supporting each other.

Saturday, December 21st: Group Tour of Kanazawa City

 In 2 groups, SP students explored Kanazawa City with 12 ICT students. They enjoyed shopping and dining while conversing in English. They learned about the preferences of Japanese students and deepened their friendships through shared experiences. This cultural exchange provided new and valuable time to foster friendships.

Sunday, December 22nd: Hinoki Craft Experience and Farewell Party

 Under the guidance of an instructor, the SP students made hinoki woodcraft coasters, a traditional craft of Ishikawa Prefecture. Working together with ICT students, translating Japanese into English, they created their pieces, and the students cherished their completed works. In the afternoon, a farewell party was held. Students presented about their countries, cultures, histories, and schools, deepening mutual understanding. Traditional games were introduced and enjoyed by all, further strengthening friendships.

 The SP students were impacted by their experience in Japan. They were deeply moved by their exposure to Japanese history, culture, and daily life, gaining new perspectives and understanding. Through interactions with Japanese students of the same age, they experienced moments of connection beyond language barriers, realizing the importance of intercultural communication. They cherished their experiences in Japan and were motivated to pursue their future goals with renewed enthusiasm.
 Similarly, our students deepened their understanding of foreign cultures and customs through exchanges with SP students, broadening their global perspectives. Making new friends expanded their international networks and provided wonderful opportunities to build friendships.
 The MILE Program offers students valuable experiences that lead to new discoveries and growth by exposing them to different cultures, significantly impacting their futures. The sight of students interacting with bright smiles remains vivid in our memories. We hope to continue cherishing such exchange programs, providing students with wonderful memories and experiences that will benefit their futures.

@ictkanazawa

2024年12月20日（金）〜23日（月）、シンガポール理工学院の学生が国際高専白山麓キャンパスに滞在し、国際交流を目的とした「マイルプログラム」が実施されました🇸🇬🇯🇵日本文化体験や金沢市内•白川郷での観光、学生同士の交流を通じて親睦を深めました🤝🌟 #singaporepolytechnic #ict

♬ Lilac - Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Yuri Makada

 Hello, this is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. After school on Friday, November 29th, 2024, students and teachers decorated a Christmas tree in the Living Commons.
 Students started by assembling the Christmas tree, and then both the students and teachers decorated it with colorful ornaments and sparkling lights. During Christmas tree decoration time, there were some unique moments, such as 1st year student Ikki Hashimoto and Domyson Abuan sensei dancing to a Christmas song, and 1st year student Soma Ioroi pretending to be a Christmas tree while students and teachers decorated him with ornaments. There was laughter and fun. Students and teachers also decorated the stairs and automatic doors, putting the whole school in a Christmas mood.
 Students took photos in front of the completed tree and chatted happily as they ate sweets. It was a wonderful day 🎄

@ictkanazawa

Decoration the Christmas tree🎄 2024年11月29日（金）の放課後、白山麓キャンパス（1、2年生）では、クリスマスツリーの飾り付けが行われました🎄🎅🏻可愛くて豪華なクリスマスツリーに仕上がりました💕🌟🤭 #国際高専 #白山麓キャンパス #クリスマス #クリスマスツリー飾り付け #ict #christmas #happyholiday #holidayseason #christmasdecorations #treedecoration #kosen #internationalcollegeoftechnology #koseninjapan #英語 #english #ボーディングスクール #boardingschool

♬ original sound - demis hitchhiker

Yuri Makada

 　
 Hello, I’m Yoshihiro Kushima, the advisor of the Hakusanroku team (Team B) in the ROBOCON College of Technology. Today, I would like to introduce the event we participated in, the Tokai-Hokuriku Regional ROBOCON 2024 that took place on Sunday, October 6th, 2024. Michihiro Hayashi sensei has already introduced this year's theme, each team's robot, and the results of the competition , so I would like to talk about the students of Team B.
 This year, as in previous years, Team B consisted of 1st and 2nd year students from the Hakusanroku Campus, including 10 students who were the main team members and a few students who occasionally helped out. Each of these main 10 students had a few words to say about their roles and activities this year, and I would like to introduce these student’s comments.

2nd year student, Rinse Okiyama
Role: team management
 This year, I was glad that all team members were able to fulfill their roles and activities. On the other hand, the rules were complicated, and we created three robots at the same time to achieve a goal, so we found issues in dividing roles and managing the progress of the plan. From now on, we would like to repeat the trial-and-error process, overcome the areas for improvement, and make the best use of them in our next activities. We will do our best to grow further as a team.

2nd year student, Rintaro Kamoshita
Role: design and adjustment of robot 1
 I could challenge myself through the ROBOCON project. Our abilities, direction of thought for ROBOCON, how we work in ROBOCON and who should work on the tasks were always there as a topic that should be argued. It was very difficult to realize the meaningful project for each person in the situation where each person has different purposes of joining in ROBOCON. Thanks to all of the people who were helping us so much for this year’s ROBOCON. I will grow as much as I can by keeping this valued experience in my mind.

2nd year student, Hiroko Takeda
Role: exterior and decoration
 I'm happy that the battery didn't fall off from the robot. I am also satisfied because the exterior is very nice. It was the right decision to ask 1st year student, Ayane Ito to do the illustrations.
 When communicating with the members, I did not realize that there was a gap in understanding between me and the other members, and I went ahead with the project as it was. I would like to use this experience to make sure that my understanding is the same as the members' understanding before working on the ICT ROBOCON.

2nd year student, Eita Nakamura
Role: development of Robot 2-2
 Over the past year, through ROBOCON, I realized the difficulty of team competition and the importance of information sharing. Nevertheless, it was very rewarding to be absorbed in the robot contest and to be able to cooperate with other members while trying new things. I also found several things to reflect on, which I intend to work on improving in the future.

2nd year student, Kanamu Yamamoto
Role: development of Robot 2-1
 This year, I built a robot on my own for the ROBOCON, which allowed me to gain extensive knowledge about mechanical design. Reflecting on last year’s experience, I paid more attention to code readability and organized wiring, which was a positive change. However, I regret focusing too much on my own work and not being able to help address issues with other robots.

1st year student, Kaishu Ishiharada
Role: control design and team leader
 I enjoyed ROBOCON because everything was new for me. However, I made some mistakes in soldering and other operations this time, but I would like to make a better robot next year based on this experience.

1st year student, Ayane Ito
Role: machining
I feel that learning to use machines like the drill press and lathe for the first time was a valuable experience. Additionally, I was able to closely observe and learn from the machine design process led by my seniors. I hope to apply these experiences in my future activities.

1st year student, Shuntaro Tanaka
Role: machining
 It was enjoyable and fulfilling to complete the tasks assigned by my seniors neatly. This year, I went to Tokai-Hokuriku Regional ROBOCON for cheering, but next year, I want to participate either as a competitor or as part of the pit crew.
 I regret that I had a lot of overtime and didn't participate much in activities during the first semester. However, I was able to get along well with the seniors and the 1st year students, so although it was frustrating that we couldn’t go to the nationals, I think it turned out okay in the end. Next year, I want to make an effort to get off to a better start.

1st year student, Ikki Hashimoto
Role: machining
 The machining group is making parts for robots. In this year's ROBOCON, I joined as a pit crew member. When I joined into ROBOCON, I thought, it was very busy, but it was fun. Also, I could understand the fun points of processing something. I thought joining the robot contest was a very good experience for my life.

1st year student, Chihiro Fukumoto
Role: mechanical design and machining
 For me, as a 1st year student, every step—from brainstorming ideas to design, machining, and assembly—felt like a full-fledged job. The competition was my first experience, and although we had to tackle most things on the spot during the event, we managed to pull through, so it’s all good!

 Since ICT is physically separated by grade, with 1st and 2nd year students at the Hakusanroku campus, 3rd year students studying abroad in New Zealand, and 4th and 5th year students at the Kanazawa campus, and robot contest activities are held separately at the Hakusanroku and Kanazawa campuses, it is difficult for students to communicate with each other and to pass on the know-how of techniques and team activities. I feel that the environment for our activities is reset every year. This is a challenge for both the students and advisors, and it is a constant process of trial and error. For this reason, we have been working daily to improve students' technical skills and create an environment that facilitates connections between students and advisors at each campus, such as by holding the ICT ROBOCON at the end of the school year since last year and connecting Kanazawa Campus and Hakusanroku Campus online after school since this year.
 At the end of the school year, I am looking forward to seeing what kind of robots the students will build for the ICT ROBOCON.

Yoshihiro Kushima

Hello everyone. My name is Shogo Izumiya, and I am the chairperson of this year's ICT School Festival Executive Committee. I am very relieved, and at the same time sincerely happy that we were able to successfully hold the ICT School Festival on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Above all, I am very grateful to all the students and faculty members. It was the students' imagination and execution, as well as the help of the faculty and staff, that made this festival possible. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude once again.

Now, I would like to introduce, through this journal, what kind of events were carried out this year. Please take a moment to see the students' efforts and the lively environment they've cultivated.

During the day, exhibitions such as academic displays, ikebana exhibitions, and 1st year students’ art exhibitions were held at Maker Studio IV. Every year, 2nd year students take part in a practical course that covers the production-to-sale process of sweet potatoes. To check the progress, I visited the section where the results were exhibited. Another highlight was the 1st year students’ art exhibition, which featured numerous stunning works that showcased their enthusiasm and dedication. It was very touching to observe the activities and efforts of our junior students, something I don't usually get to see at Kanazawa campus.

In a place called the Learning Commons, two competitions were held in the morning and one in the afternoon. The first one was a card game tournament. The junior students of Hakusanroku Campus organized the event and brought the card games they usually enjoy to the desks in the Learning Commons for everyone to enjoy. The number and variety of cards they had were so large that we felt their enthusiasm was tremendous.

Next up was "Defeat Anish Kirpalani in a fighting game." You might be surprised by the name, but there's a 5th year student, Anish-senpai, who is a master of fighting games. This event was about defeating him in a particular game and winning a prize! These types of games can only be enjoyed on desktop computers or console gaming systems, so the preparation was a bit challenging. Although it was a game I wasn’t very familiar with, it turned out to be a wonderful event where we could interact with the senior students and have fun. Actually, my father, who came to watch, also tried it and managed to win with some handicaps.

In the afternoon, we had the "Big Fighting Game Tournament." Although we can't disclose the title of the game, we’ll leave it to your imagination. This event was held in a tournament format with a total of 18 players battling fiercely for prizes. The junior students were incredibly skilled, and I unfortunately lost in the quarter-finals. Each match was thrilling and kept us on the edge of our seats, making the experience immensely enjoyable.

After these events, the highlight of the day was the Bingo game. It was incredibly fun and lively, with the excitement of getting close to a Bingo but not quite hitting it, adding to the atmosphere. This annual event features gorgeous prizes that were competed for in the order of the earliest bingo winners. As more and more people got closer to bingo, I was enjoyed how everyone started fidgeting every time I brought out the bingo ball.

After the Bingo game, the final event was a debriefing session for the Kosen ROBOCON 2024 held in early October. With this, this year's ICT School Festival came to an end. Lately, ICT has begun actively participating in the Kosen ROBOCON, and their hard work and creativity, along with their perseverance in repeatedly testing and improving their ideas, make me proud as ICT student. Best of luck for next year as well!

Well, here is a summary of this year's ICT School Festival along with my impressions. How was it? ICT has just begun. Many students are now enrolling in our school, and the number of attractive junior students is increasing rapidly. We will continue to create better events in the future, and we look forward to seeing you again at next year's ICT School Festival.

Shogo Izumiya

 Have you ever heard of a "learning mentor"? Many people may not know a lot about this job and I want to share what my day is like.

 My name is Apirak Sang-ngenchai, and I am a learning mentor. My work begins in the afternoon when I join the classes I am assigned to. I usually sit at the back of the classroom to listen to the lecture in order to understand the topics and context, which helps me better support the students later on. If students have questions, I provide explanations. Sometimes, I assist students who feel shy about speaking up in class.

 The evening learning session runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This is the heart of my job. Students come to me for help with their studies during these two hours.

●Homework and Quizzes: During the evening session, many students bring their homework to ask for guidance. Some assignments are straightforward, like math problems or writing exercises, but others can be more complex, like science reports or project research.
●Projects and Activities: Not all students come for help with homework. Some need support for extracurricular activities or personal projects. For students interested in robotics, I help them design, build, and program robots for competitions like Robocon. This includes brainstorming ideas, debugging code, and testing the robot’s performance. Some students have their own goals, like creating a small AI application or programming a game. I guide them by teaching coding techniques, suggesting tools, and troubleshooting their problems. It’s inspiring to see their creativity and determination.
●Life Issues: Some students just want to talk. They share their worries or ask for life advice. Some students need someone to talk to. They might feel stressed about exams, homesick, or unsure about their future plans. I listen without judgment and offer encouragement. Other students ask for advice on balancing school and personal life, building friendships, or setting goals. I try to give them practical tips and share my own experiences to help them feel more confident.

 Learning mentors are like the students' older brother or sister. We play, study, and enjoy time together. It’s not just about schoolwork. It’s about building relationships. Students often feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts with me than with their teachers. For example, some students ask me for help with programming, especially for robots or AI. Then I guide them step by step through the process, and it makes me happy to see their progress.

 Besides helping students with their studies, learning mentors organize events like Halloween parties, Christmas celebrations, or cultural festivals. These events help students feel more connected to each other and the school.

 Being a learning mentor is busy, but it is also very rewarding. The best part of the job is watching students grow, solve problems, and become more confident. We are not just helping them with school; we are helping them with life. Now if you meet a learning mentor, you know what we do!

Apirak Sang-ngenchai