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Participants
Senate Office of International Relations
The Senate Office of International Relations (SOIR) plans and arranges meetings, receptions, and substantive programs for international dignitaries who are making official visits to the Senate. The office provides translation assistance, information dissemination, and acts as the official liaison between the California Senate and the 140 California Consulates General; providing ongoing assistance and information regarding the California Legislature to the California Consular Corps. SOIR assists with Senate projects that further mutual cooperation and understanding, closer educational and cultural ties, and greater trade and investment opportunities between California and other nations. These projects include seminars, trade missions, sister state relationships, and other visitor and information exchange programs.
SOIR also provides staff support required to maintain the California International Relations Foundation.
California International Relations Foundation
The California International Relations Foundation (CIRF) oversees the implementation of the program, assists with technical and philanthropic support, coordinates actions with state officials, seeks grants and information dissemination, and recruits new California school district participation.
CIRF is a private, non-profit public benefit corporation that has been organized under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation provides assistance to the California Senate in furthering the exchange of economic, educational, and cultural information between government leaders and other citizens of foreign countries and Members of the California Legislature and other citizens of California. Such exchanges include but are not limited to, information relating to government, trade and commerce, agriculture, tourism, technology, education, environment, and the arts.
The Consulate of Japan aids in all diplomatic matters concerning Japan; finding new prefectures in Japan, assists in visa and passport applications, helps to remedy transportation concerns in Japan, and alleviates culture shock by providing pre-exchange information to participating school districts. The Consulate also assists in financial matters, both in terms of gathering private financial support and Japanese prefectural support.
Visits to Japan every year since 1996 by Members of the California Senate strengthened the framework for the success of the California Japan Scholars Program. On March 18-26, 2005, a California Senate Delegation visits the Japanese Diet, its National Legislative building. Participants included Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi, Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, Senator Sheila Kuehl, Senator Alan Lowenthal and also CIRF Board Members Kevin Kinnaw, Scott Keene, and George Steffes
The Osaka Prefectural Government, California Office, opened on April 1, 1997 in San Francisco. The office was established to strengthen the relationship that exists between the State of California and the Prefecture of Osaka, Japan. In November of 1994, the two states concluded a cooperation agreement to enhance the strong cultural ties between Osaka and California and to establish broader economic relations.
Since the first California-Osaka Scholars Program in 1997, now referred to as the California-Japan Scholars Program, the Osaka Prefectural Government, California Office serves as a liaison between Osaka and California. They are the main contact that bridges the language barrier to assure effective and smooth communication between the participating schools and their boards of education.
Shizuoka Prefectural Government
The Shizuoka Prefectural Government has been an active partner with the California Japan Scholars exchange since 2002, and have sent their students to, and received groups from, the Martinez and Palos Verdes High School Districts.
Since the first California-Shizuoka Scholars Exchange started it has served to strengthen the ties between our State and their Prefecture. They have gone above and beyond to assure a productive, educational and fun program for the participants of this important exchange.
Senator Kuehl presents the Honorable Yoshinobu
Ishikawa, Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with a California
Senate Resolution celebrating the special relationship between our two States
(March 2005).
Elk Grove Unified School District
Elk Grove Unified School District is the premier participant of the CA-Japan Scholars Program. Ms. Cheryl Wilken, Ms. Ikuyo Sanchez and Ms. Carrolyn Shinozaki have institutionalized a well structured program within their district that allows for an efficient exchange of inbound and outbound students. They are also instrumental in responding to questions on school administration and policy from interested school districts.
Alhambra High School, part of the Martinez Unified School District, has been a part of the Exchange since 2000. The last several years, Mr. Dennis Gray, a teacher at the school, has almost single handedly carried the program and all of its responsibilities. They have had a very successful interaction with Shizuoka, Japan and they are currently in the midst of their third reciprocal exchange.
Palos Verdes High School joined the exchange in 2005, sending eight students and two chaperones to Shizuoka. As of 2006, they are the only school from Southern California participating in the program.
California Department of Education
Under AB 2902, “The Superintendent of Public Instruction was instructed to develop and implement a specific plan to help achieve the objectives contained in the April 17, 1996, Joint Statement between the United States and Japan providing for the educational exchange of high school pupils between the two countries. The plan shall include ways to best utilize a strong cooperative relationship between California and the Osaka Prefecture that was established pursuant to the Cooperation Agreement dated November 15, 1994, between the State of California and the Prefecture of Osaka.” (Section 48054 of the Education Code) In 1997 and 1998, the California Department of Education (CDE) in co-operation with the California International Relations Foundation, administered the program. Students were selected based upon a written essay, grade point average, and completion of the application and parent approval form. Over 400 application were received by the CDE and were reviewed by a selection committee composed of the staff of state legislative offices, California Department of Education, the staff of the Consulate General of Japan and other individuals involved with education and international relations.
In 1999, the California International Relations Foundation took over all administrative duties.
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