On June 28th, Iwate Prefecture announced that it had elected 8 prefectural high schools as ILC Promotion Model Schools. The candidate site for the ILC is within the Kitakami mountains of Iwate, and if realized, is expected to be a boon to the local economy and industry. This will develop human resources that will be able to perform in a number of different fields.

Newly selected as model schools this year are Ofunato HS, Kamaishi HS, Mizusawa Engineering HS, and Miyako Commercial HS. Continuing the initiative from last year are Morioka #1 HS, Hanamaki Agricultural HS, Mizusawa HS, and Ichinoseki #1 HS.

Not originally pictured with the article.

This model school initiative was started last year to help develop the students as the next generation to take on the ILC project. The prefecture will support the newly designated schools with up to 500,000 yen, and continuing schools with up to 750,000 yen.

Not originally pictured with the article. Students at Hanamaki Agricultural HS

This year, many of the schools will host seminars by researchers, and visit the KEK research lab in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Morioka #1 HS will also hold a presentation on the results of the initiative thus far. Hanamaki Agricultural HS will be conducting research on growing western vegetables, while Miyako Commercial HS will take lessons on how to serve foreign customers at its “Miyako Commercial Department Store,” with students getting involved with the entire process, from buying stock to sales.

Ayumi Ueno, director of ILC Promotion at the Iwate Prefectural Office of Science and ILC Promotion, said, “The high school students will start off wondering just what is the ILC, and we will raise their interest in the project by showing to them how the ILC relates to their lives, and how it could be an option for their future. With this we hope to raise enthusiasm throughout the entire prefecture.”

Learn more: Students at ILC Promotion Model Schools hope for the ILC (THE KITAKAMI TIMES)