Student Council Message
On March 11th 2011, we were living in Kesen-cho in Rikizentakata when an earthquake and the subsequent tsunami took away our school, our houses, and many other things. In those days just after the earthquake, we lived in fear of the continuing aftershocks and could only think about meeting those family members and friends whom we hadn’t heard from as soon as possible. While living under those circumstances, we were able to have hope for our lives each day thanks to all the aid and encouragement from people all over Japan. In addition, we started going to school in a borrowed school building, and were able to study and take part in club activities even if it wasn’t as convenient as before.
We are full of gratitude for everyone who gave us aid and encouragement. Thank you! In a school questionnaire, the most popular responses for what students were especially happy to have received were “school uniform”, “stationary supplies”, and “sports equipment”, but they also mentioned “messages received from people all over Japan and the world”, “words encouraging us to hang in there”, and also said “whatever it may be, receiving is the greatest delight.” In the same survey, the most popular comment for how to show their gratitude was “send letters and messages”, but others included “greet people cheerfully”, or “show gratitude by living with a smile.” We found that each of us carries these feelings of gratitude and thinks about ways to express these feelings in our lives.
The student council has decided that our slogan for the first part of the year will be “Never Give Up: Walk On Strong” and we will be planning events and student council activities. Our school building has changed, and everything physical that was a part of Kesen-chu [1] has been lost. However, we want to be certain to pass down our intangible culture—our cheers and songs, the events and activities inherited from our sempai [2]—to the next generation. We don’t know the future and have a lot of concerns, but if we give up, we will come to a halt, so we want everyone to decide to be strong and never give up as we move forward.
The earthquake and tsunami left a deep wound in our hearts, but we were able to learn of the kindness of the people across the nation and the school has been able to come together more strongly and move towards our goals. In composing this declaration to rebuild Kichu [3], we promise to all of the people who sent us aid and encouragement and to ourselves that we will work to rebuild Kichu.
生徒会 気中復興宣言
２０１１年３月１１日、私たちは陸前高田市気仙町で生活していて、地震とその後の津波により、自分達の学校や家など多くのものを失いました。
地震の直後は、繰り返しやってくる余震の恐怖と、連絡が取れない家族や友人に早く会うことだけを考えながら生活していました。そんな震災直後の生活の中でも、全国の皆さんからの多くの支援や応援があったおかげで私たちは一日一日を生きていくことに希望を持つことができました。また、借りている校舎での学校生活が始まり、前より不自由なことはあっても、勉強や部活に取り組むことができています。
支援や声援をたくさんくださった皆さんには、感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。
ありがとうございます。校内のアンケートでは、特にうれしかったものとして「制服」「文房具」「部活の道具」等が多かったですが、「全国や世界の皆さんからのメッセージ」「頑張ってという言葉」「どんなものでもいただけるということが一番うれしい」というものもありました。
同じくアンケートでは、感謝の気持ちを表すために「手紙やメッセージを送りたい」というものが多く、他に「明るいあいさつをする」「自分たちが笑顔で生活することで感謝したい」というものもありました。一人一人が感謝の気持ちをもち、その気持ちを伝えたいと考えながら生活しています。
私たちの生徒会は、今年度の前期のスローガンとサブスローガンを、
Never Giver Up ―力強く歩いていこうー
と生徒大会で決め、行事や生徒会活動に取り組んでいきます。校舎が変わり、気仙中の形あるものはすべて失われました。しかし、私たちの応援や合唱、先輩から引き継いできた行事や取り組みなど、形のない文化は私たちの手で確実に次の代に残していきたいと思います。
先のことが分からず、不安なこともたくさんありますが、あきらめたら歩みは止まると思うので、「あきらめない」「力強く」と全員で決めて進んでいきたいと思います。
地震や津波は私たちの心に深い傷を残しましたが、全国の皆さんからの優しい気持ちを知ることと、全校がより強く一つにまとまって目標に進むことができるようになりました。
この気中復興宣言をまとめることで、支援、声援を下さった皆さんと自分たち自身に気中復興に向けて取り組むことを誓います。
２０１１年５月３０日
気仙中生徒会
1. An abbreviation for Kesen Junio High School, in which chu is the first kanjicharacter in the word for junior high school or middle school
2.In schools, a sempai is someone in a higher school grade. In clubs especially, they can be a senior mentor who guides their kohai - or junior - as best they can. The sempai/kohai relationship can be loosely connected or strictly enforced depending on circumstances.
3. A nickname for Kesen Junior High School、whose kanji characters are 気仙中学, shortened to 気中, read kichu
