Greeting at the Amicus Junior High School’s First Semester Closing Ceremony

Principal: Ken Oshiro

Today marks the last day of the first semester. Looking back, I am deeply impressed by the remarkable achievements of all the students. For example, we have Kai Masaki, a second-year student who has established himself as the best swimmer in the prefecture. Then there’s Sama Goya, who won the top prize at Uruma City  Speech Contest, and An Yamanaka, who secured third place at the National Karuta Tournament. Each of these students has utilized their unique strengths to achieve outstanding results.

I have always encouraged you to “maximize your individual strengths and unique qualities.” One skill that all Amicus Junior High students share is a high level of English proficiency. However, English is merely a tool. It becomes truly powerful when combined with each of your own strengths and talents.

The event that left the strongest impression on me this semester was the musical performance of “Sanma Democracy.” A musical cannot be created by one person alone. It requires actors, music coordinators, stage crew, subtitle creators, and poster designers—all working together to form a cohesive team. Each one of you showcased your talents and collaborated with one another to produce that wonderful performance.

I watched “Sanma Democracy” from the center of the front row in the theater. To be honest, I had never seen such a high-quality performance by junior high school students before. This musical was not something that could be created with English skills alone. It was born from the students’ mutual respect, sense of responsibility, and true teamwork. I believe this experience has significantly contributed to your personal growth.

At the end of the musical, we were able to share a message from Ushi Tamaki:

“Amicus students, if something seems wrong, speak up and say it’s wrong. That’s a given. I believe that you young people will make Okinawa, Japan, and the world a better place from now on.”

These words encapsulate the essence of democracy and the importance of each of us raising our voices. I have great expectations for Amicus Junior High students to continue respecting others, taking responsibility, and using your unique talents and strengths to make Okinawa, Japan, and the world a better place.

(On the day of the ceremony, I could not show the prepared slides due to technical difficulties with PowerPoint. This is a summary of the message I intended to convey.)