February 10, 2017 – High School students entering their junior or senior year in the fall are invited to apply for a three-week student exchange opportunity in Midland’s Sister City of Handa, Japan.
Two or three Midland students will be selected to travel to Handa for the exchange that is scheduled to take place during a three-week time frame from July 20 to August 11, 2017. Students will receive airfare to travel to Japan and will stay with Japanese host families during the exchange.
Candidates must live in the City of Midland and/or be entering their junior or senior year at a Midland high school in the fall of 2017. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale and should have a genuine interest in Japanese culture. Fluency in speaking Japanese is not required.
Applications can be submitted online at http://bit.ly/sistercityexch2017 or by picking up a paper application at City Hall, the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, or the counseling offices of Midland high schools. The Sister City Committee will interview candidates in mid-April with final selections being made shortly thereafter.
Since the Midland-Handa Sister City Student Exchange began in 1982, more than 80 students from both communities have participated in the program. The exchange was established to provide an opportunity for the youth of Handa and Midland to learn about each other’s culture. Midland students travel to Handa in odd numbered years, and during even numbered years, Handa students are hosted by Midland residents.
For more information on the Sister City Student Exchange, visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/sistercity and click on “Student Exchange”.
