Speech has no boundaries

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Menchaca
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  American and Japanese students competed in a speech contest designed to encourage a cultural exchange between the two countries at the Fussa Citizens Hall March 5.

The Japan-United States Speech Contest, hosted by the North Kanto Defense Bureau, featured 13 Japanese junior high school students each giving a four-minute speech in English; followed by 13 Yokota High School students giving four-minute speeches in Japanese.

"The students demonstrated their linguistic prowess," said Javier Gomez, Yokota High School Spanish and Japanese teacher. "This event helped foster a feeling of friendship between both cultures."

Barbara Cavender, 374th Mission Support Group school liaison, said she believes the contest will help deepen Yokota's relationship with neighboring communities.

Mr. Gomez, who's been teaching foreign languages for 15 years, said it makes him happy to think the students will take what they've learned from the speech contest with them forever.

"It just motivates me to be a better teacher, and reach as many kids as possible and teach them the beauty of communicating in a foreign language," said Mr. Gomez. "Like Nelson Mandela said 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.'"

Yokota High School senior Caleb Maye said he volunteered for the contest because he felt it would be a good experience.

"I think this is a great way to interact with the Japanese [students] and to show how much we know about each other's languages and cultures," he said.

Todd Kirby, Department of Defense Education Activities coordinator and event judge, said he enjoyed seeing the relationship blossom between Japanese and American students.

"I was so impressed with the tight working relationship this event helped to foster," said Mr. Kirby. "As compared to taking [the students] out on a bus and walking around, an event like this really gives them a chance to interact."

Although Caleb said he was nervous speaking in front of a crowd, he received an award at the intermediate Japanese level for Yokota High School. He said the real reward was the experience he will take with him for the rest of his life.