I was incredibly fortunate to participate in the second year of the Moka exchange program in 1992 as a middle school student at Goddard Middle School. Little did I know that the friendships, especially with my host Michio, would have lasted a lifetime. During my time at Goddard as a science teacher and Assistant Principal, and later as Principal of Sandburg Middle School, I had the good fortune of visiting Moka City many times. Each time I would connect with Michio and his family and to this day we remain in contact and share emails and look forward to the next time we are able to meet in person. As my daughters are preparing to enter middle school in the next few years, It is my hope that they too will be fortunate enough to participate in this program as it had the single most positive impact on my life as an adolescent. I would encourage all parents to consider this opportunity for their children. It is truly life-changing. 

I visited Glendora in October 2017. When I visited Glendora, it was Halloween season, so we dressed up and went to school, and at night we all got together and had a party. There are many things that are different from Japan, such as schools and lifestyle, so it was very exciting.

I hosted a student from Moka in 2011 and visited Moka in 2012. I have also lived in Moka for 6 months as part of my Master's degree program. Participating in the sister school exchange program helped me broaden my perspective of the world and made me interested in learning more about Japanese culture. Even after ten years, I am still very close with my host family and regularly talk with them. I also often talk to Rina, the student I hosted, and consider her to be one of my closest friends. Cross-cultural skills are necessary for every career path, so I highly encourage all students to participate in this program!