10th graders Anjyu Okamoto and Taiki Inoue were selected into the “From Fukuoka to the World!” human resources development project organised by the Fukuoka Prefecture Board of Education.

This project is aimed at students attending national, public and private high schools in Fukuoka. Students can apply for either the Silicon Valley Programme or the Vocational Experience Programme.

Both programmes are extremely selective. 50 students applied to the Silicon Valley Programme, and only 4 students attending private schools were ultimately selected. 250 students applied to the Vocational Experience programme, and only 18 students attending private schools were selected. Selection criteria included a clear career vision and passion for contributing to global society.

Anjyu, who was selected into the Silicon Valley Programme, is excited to travel to San Francisco, USA for 14 days to visit tech companies such as GAFA, participate in lectures at Stanford University, etc. Anjyu, who is interested in the intersection between medicine and technology, believes she will gain a lot from the experience.

Taiki, on the other hand, will be making his way to New South Wales, Australia, for a 6-day learning journey on food systems. He will stay at a farm, experience farming techniques, and learn all about food from production to consumption. Taiki had expressed to his interviewers his well-thought-out goal to identify possible improvements in agricultural methods and infrastructures.

Anjyu and Taiki will engage in pre-departure training every month until they fly overseas. We are confident they will collaborate effectively with their peers in the “From Fukuoka to the World!” project and bring a great deal of learning back with them to Linden Hall High School.