Exchange anniversary<\/p>\n
Los Gatos High School recently celebrated 10 years of student exchanges with its sister school in Japan.<\/p>\n
Since 2001, Los Gatos High has utilized cultural exchange in its Japanese language education. Retired Los Gatos High School Japanese teacher Ann Jordan helped establish the exchange with Pacific Reach to give students the opportunity to experience the language and culture they were studying in a more personal way.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor our students, this is one of the best ways to learn,\u201d said LGHS Japanese teacher Kumi Kobayashi, who continued Jordan\u2019s tradition. \u201cThey have the opportunity to actually speak Japanese, learn how to communicate and find common ground with someone from another culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within a year of the exchange program\u2019s establishment, the high school welcomed 26 high school students from Miyagi Prefecture to stay with local host families, which started a tradition of exchanges and homestays that has lasted over two decades. Los Gatos High School has had a sister-school relationship with Sakuragaoka High School since 2015. Los Gatos High students have also traveled to Japan, including a Japanese government-sponsored visit for the Kakehashi Project in 2014.<\/p>\n
While at Los Gatos High, Sakuragaoka students attend classes and help students practice conversational Japanese and share their own language, experiences and culture.<\/p>\n
Run Home<\/p>\n
Santa Clara County nonprofit Life Services Alternatives is hosting its seventh annual Run Home 5K.10K at Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos on Sept. 12.<\/p>\n
Life Services Alternatives provides lifelong housing and care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This year\u2019s Run Home event will be in honor of Sitara Ranganathan, daughter of board member Ramaswamy Ranganathan. Upon joining LSA\u2019s board of directors in 2020, Ramaswamy Ranganathan launched the first Run Home event, combining his 40-year passion for distance running with the nonprofit\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Sitara faced serious medical challenges, the LSA care staff treated her like their own family,\u201d said Ranganathan. \u201cAs parents, one of our greatest worries was who would care for our daughter when we no longer could. LSA gave Sitara a thriving home and a second family. Run Home is our way of ensuring other families facing the same uncertainty can find that same hope, security and community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The race will begin at 9 a.m., with a free community resource fair from 9 a.m. to noon, connecting families with service providers, nonprofits and community partners dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Santa Clara County.<\/p>\n