Fifty Toyota-Sponsored Teachers Make Global and Personal Connections in Japan

    TORRANCE, Calif.--July 23, 2001--Today, with globalization changing the way we work and live, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. has created a program that fosters meaningful cross-cultural interaction for U.S. high school teachers.
    In its third year, the Toyota International Teacher Program, an annual all-expense paid educational study trip to Japan, aims to build global awareness and appreciation for foreign cultures via one of America's most influential groups: its educators.
    This year's group has just returned from its two-week excursion to Japan, a trip that included visits to Tokyo, Hiroshima, Toyota City, Kyoto and the island of Shikoku. During their sojourn, the teachers interacted with fellow educators and discussed a wide range of topics from education reform to environmental challenges that both Japanese and energy-strapped Americans share.
    "I want to help my Detroit students understand that not everyone is as fortunate as we are when it comes to water," explained Freda Johnson of Cooley High School in Detroit, Michigan after listening to Dr. Makoto Murase (a.k.a. "Dr. Rainwater") talk about rainwater recycling in the Sumida District of Tokyo.
    "Toyota is committed to fostering international understanding," explained Jim Press, TMS executive vice president and chief operating officer. "When teachers share their knowledge and insights in their classrooms, they enlighten hundreds of students. The result is that global relationships become that much more relevant."
    During their own small-scale global goodwill trip, some of the teachers' perceptions about Japan were confirmed while others were completely reversed. "Kids are kids the world over," noted Mike Sinclair of Kalamazoo Area Math & Science Center in Michigan after observing a few students playing with cell phones, reading comic books and even snoozing during class, while others were hard at work. As a whole, however, the country boasts an impressive near-100% literacy rate, a value that dates back to the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
    Chosen for their professional excellence, the high school teachers spent an intense two weeks exploring the inter-related disciplines of history, education, environment and technology in Japan. The returning teachers, from California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and West Virginia (states where Toyota operates major manufacturing facilities) will implement "impact plans" to elevate their students' global awareness.
    The trip included lectures from Japanese academics, a trip to Kabuki Theatre to experience traditional opera, a tour of the Toyota manufacturing facility in Toyota City and visits to Japanese schools.
    Nogei High School was a poignant stop for Indiana's Nina Vehslage of Brownstown Central High School. Vehslage befriended a Nogei teacher during a conference at Purdue University and their schools have since established a sister-school relationship. "This is just the beginning," said Vehslage to her Japanese counterpart, of her plans for the two schools to share information about farming and the sciences.
    Environmental issues were another hot topic. Topics ranged from advances in eco-friendly cars like Toyota's gas-electric hybrid Prius, to the Sumida "Rainwater Utilization" recycling district. "The Sumida City project was great because it was on a scale that any town could replicate," explained Kathy Peterson, a teacher at Maplewood Richmond Heights High School in Maplewood, Missouri. "My husband is currently a city councilman and I will discuss the possibility of this (rainwater recycling) becoming a project in Maplewood."
    "I have so many wonderful memories - the elementary students giving us flowers, the geisha and maiko at our farewell banquet, making new friends, slurping noodles and lots of walking!" said Michele Whiteley of South Oldham High School in Crestwood, Kentucky. "I have made friends that will last a lifetime."
    Photos of the teachers are available by request. Please contact Caitlin Dowe-Sandes at Magnet Communications, 310/772-0055 ext. 233. For a more in-depth report, please visit www.toyota.com/4teachers and click on the Japan Journal.

    About Toyota's Education Programs

    In addition to sponsoring a number of nonprofit educational organizations, TMS offers four major programs that support teachers with grants and students with scholarships: TAPESTRY for K-12 science teachers; TIME for K-12 math teachers; the Toyota International Teacher Program, a two-week study abroad program in Japan for 50 high school teachers; and Toyota Community Scholars, providing 100 scholarships to high school seniors based on academics and community service. In the past ten years, Toyota USA has invested more than $148 million in U.S. philanthropic programs, with nearly 70% supporting education. For more information about Toyota education programs, visit www.toyota.com/about or call Rhonda Glasscock at 310/468-4119.

    About the Institute of International Education

    Founded in 1919, IIE is the largest and oldest international exchange organization in the United States. It is a private, not-for-profit organization, committed to leadership development and services for the education, cultural and training sectors. By enabling more than 18,000 outstanding men and women each year to study, conduct research, receive practical training, or provide technical assistance outside their own countries, IIE fosters mutual understanding, builds global problem-solving capabilities, and strengthens the international competence of U.S. citizens. For more information about IIE, contact Leslie Anderson at 202/326-7704.