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Committee reviews recent international visits, student presenters and a grant opportunity
Summary
Members praised recent student exchanges and presenters, discussed proactive scheduling to avoid short lead times, and noted a Sister Cities International grant (two $25,000 awards) they plan to pursue in a later cycle tied to a 2030 program concept.
Committee members recapped visits from Italy and Nishinon, praising the visiting students and teachers for their communication and noting the value of face-to-face contacts. Speakers said faculty and student presenters ran programs smoothly, and the group agreed to keep a playbook so future visits can be run the same way.
Members flagged that some visits arrive with only two weeks' notice and recommended proactively contacting partner schools in May to lock October visit dates earlier. The committee discussed partnering public and private schools in Nichinon to make exchanges more robust and suggested expanding programming beyond school-to-school activities to include sports and arts exchanges.
A member said Sister Cities International is offering two $25,000 grants this year with a Dec. 31 deadline; the committee said it cannot assemble an application by that date but would consider preparing a concept for 2030 that ties anniversary programming and educational initiatives to potential future grants. The group also reviewed an invitation from Portsmouth, England to join a mayoral holiday greetings Zoom on Dec. 16 and discussed hosting a local Zoom watch location.
