Thirty students were selected to represent Elk Grove in the June 1999 program. During their two weeks in Osaka, participants attended classes at one of seventeen host schools and stayed with Japanese host families. All of the participants were enrolled in the Japanese language curriculum at their respective high schools. This program also allotted a considerable amount of free time that the student was to spend with his host family learning about Japanese family life.
In 1999, we developed what we believe will be the on-going model. CIRF has since identified school districts interested in participation, found prefectures in Japan willing to serve as hosts, and provided local training and financial assistance to students based upon need. Implementation of the Program became the responsibility of local California school districts and their Japanese counterparts.
