Sound Shore

Rye Country Day School students in grades Pre-K through four learned about Japanese art and culture recently when they participated in an afternoon of activities designed to raise funds for the people of Japan. The students stayed after school to take part in a number of Japanese inspired activities that included making Japanese-style fans, fish prints, cherry blossom note cards and pictures, red and white beaded bracelets, origami designs, kites, Japanese Manga and Anime character drawings, and an oversized map of Japan. In honor of the Japanese national pastime of baseball, there were also games of whiffle ball played during the afternoon.

In addition, the RCDS Lower Schoolers welcomed nine visiting students from Keio Academy in Purchase. The Keio students helped the young children with the crafts and shared their experiences of living and studying in New York.

With generous support from the RCDS parents, as well as the donated proceeds from a lemonade stand manned by two fourth graders in March and a bag full of change from a contributing second-grader, the students’ efforts realized over $3,500 for the International Rescue Committee for Japan.

Photo, courtesy Susan Nelson: Keio student Mari Nagakura helps RCDS first-graders Trey Holmes and Charlotte Ballantoni string bracelets of red and white beads at the school’s fund-raiser for Japan relief.