A group of 17 students and adult leaders from Hiroshima Gakuin, a Jesuit high school in Japan, visited the campus of Bellarmine College Prep during the morning of March 22. They were accompanied by members of GPI US, whose mission is to “empower today’s youth to thrive in a global world through educational study abroad and online programs.”
Following a welcome and introductions, led by Dr. Sonya Arriola, principal; Bridget McGarry, assistant principal for academics; Carlos Jimenez, director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and Cora Antonio, assistant director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; the group, led by Bellarmine student ambassadors, toured the campus. The visiting students from Japan spoke of their interest in learning more about American culture and education and exploring the differences and similarities between Japan and the United States.
The two schools share an interesting bit of history. In the 1940s, post-World War II, Bellarmine students sent a donation and messages of support after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. This gesture of empathy and generosity was commemorated on a plaque.
In addition to their visit to Bellarmine, the delegation’s Bay Area itinerary included stops at the Computer History Museum, Santa Clara University, U.C. Berkeley, and the Japanese American Museum in San Jose.