Marshalltown youth build cultural connections through Sister Cities Exchange Program
Y Sports Director Qwinton Wilder and Tyler Beare provide a tutorial on pickleball for the Marshalltown and Minami Alps City youngsters at the Y on Friday morning.
Henry Kell of Marshalltown reaches for a volley as the group played pickleball at the Y on Friday.
T-R PHOTOS BY ROBERT MAHARRY Students and chaperones involved in the Marshalltown-Minami Alps City Friendship Exchange program pose for a photo during a pickleball lesson at the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA on Friday morning.
Y Sports Director Qwinton Wilder and Tyler Beare provide a tutorial on pickleball for the Marshalltown and Minami Alps City youngsters at the Y on Friday morning.
Henry Kell of Marshalltown reaches for a volley as the group played pickleball at the Y on Friday.
T-R PHOTOS BY ROBERT MAHARRY Students and chaperones involved in the Marshalltown-Minami Alps City Friendship Exchange program pose for a photo during a pickleball lesson at the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA on Friday morning.
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For over 30 years now, a small group of youngsters from Marshalltown and Minami Alps City, Japan have participated in a two-year exchange program that involves the Japanese students coming here for about a week and a half one year and the Marshalltonians visiting Minami Alps City one year. Throughout this week, the Marshalltown group, under the leadership of Director Kris Alman, has been hosting six Japanese youth and two adult chaperones and participating in a wide range of activities to foster cultural understanding and friendship.
Earlier in the week, they visited Grimes Farm, met Mayor Mike Ladehoff and other city leaders, toured the Marshalltown Arts and Civic Center (MACC) and got a guided tour of the community from Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Dylan Does. On Wednesday, they headed north to Cedar Falls and the University of Northern Iowa with a stop at Matchstick Marvels in Gladbrook along the way, and on Thursday, they were off to Des Moines to visit the state Capitol and the Iowa Living History Farms.
On Friday, they were back in Marshalltown for the day, touring the Mead Farm northwest of town in the morning before heading to the YMCA/YWCA for a pickleball tutorial from Y Sports Director Qwinton Wilder and then to Wayward Social for an afternoon of pizza and bowling. The host families and their guests will be spending the weekend together with no set itinerary -- plans varied from a pool party to attending the balloon festival in Indianola -- but the group will then reconvene on Monday for a final day that includes touring Bobcat Academy and Marshalltown High School before visiting Green Castle in southeastern Marshall County and later attending a farewell party. On Tuesday, the students will head home and prepare to welcome their new friends from Marshalltown to Minami Alps City next summer.
Speaking to the T-R at the Y on Friday with the help of interpreter Yuki Tsuchiya, a Japanese youngster named Hibito said the thing that surprised him the most about America is the size of the meals after eating at the Machine Shed restaurant. Conversely, Emma Richardson said that even in the short time she's spent with her guest, Mana, they've grown close and built a strong friendship. Henry Kell added that his favorite part is just "hanging out" with his guest, Keisuke.
As they look forward to next year, Daniel Goslinga is excited to try out new Japanese foods. Once they were done being hounded with questions by the local press on Friday morning, the kids got back to playing and learning a new game, one of many unique lessons they took in throughout the week.
Contact Robert Maharry at (641) 753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.