Special Activities and Fundraising in Honor of Eye Care Day

On October 10th, in celebration of Eye Care Day, our school hosted a special event for the preschool and elementary school students at the Kannai campus. We invited special guests to provide an opportunity for the children to learn about the lives of people with visual impairments and guide dogs. The children in the Mountain Class (4-year-olds) and Sky Class (5-year-olds) explored the theme of "What challenges do blind people face in the city?" by listening to talks from members of the Japan Assistance Dog Information Center and guide dog owners, and participated in a quiz. Before the event, the children reviewed the rules for interacting with guide dogs, such as "Don’t stare at them" and "Don’t speak loudly to them," and they practiced these rules well. The children listened attentively to the talks and, at times, raised their hands to ask questions or express their own opinions. At the end, the children were treated to a song performance by our guest, Mr. Ryuta Kuriyama, a blind singer-songwriter known for his para-athlete support song "Real Victory." The children gained valuable experiences learning about the lives of people with visual impairments and developed a heart of compassion.

The elementary school students were divided into two sessions: one for first and second graders, and another for third to fifth graders. In both sessions, they learned about the daily life of people with visual impairments and deepened their understanding of guide dogs and other assistance animals. During the discussions, the children had many questions, and the guests kindly answered them.

Regarding guide dogs, the children had the opportunity to observe the guide dog, Tommy, in action. This led to the question, "Why do you give commands to guide dogs in English?" Students also learned how to respond to situations that might happen in real life, such as "What should you do if someone treats a blind person or a guide dog poorly?" Additionally, a question about the usefulness of technology, like electronic money, led guest speakers to demonstrate how smartphones can be operated with voice commands. This demonstration captured the children's interest in exploring these alternative methods of use.

The students were reminded that everyday activities, such as shopping and cooking, are not as simple as they might seem, and that many people make various efforts and adaptations to live their lives. We hope that CGK students can apply what they have learned from the guests to their daily lives in the future.

In the preschool, we held an activity to help the children experience how people with visual impairments navigate their daily lives. In a bell-matching game, the children learned the importance of receiving information through sound by distinguishing between different tones without relying on sight. They also challenged themselves to use senses other than sight by feeling small coins and identifying their differences.

The most memorable activities were making clay with our eyes closed and reading Braille books. By making clay with our eyes closed, the children experienced how to recognize objects using senses other than sight. Additionally, by touching Braille, they learned how people with visual impairments access information and discovered the joy of "reading by touch."

Additionally, by touching and feeling Braille, they learned how people with visual impairments access information and discovered the joy of "reading through touch."

With the warm support of CGK parents, a total of 33,835 yen was raised. The donations were responsibly delivered to the Japan Assistance Dog Information Center by CGK. Through this fundraising activity, the children learned valuable lessons about empathy, social contribution, and responsibility. We are delighted to see how this experience broadened their social perspective and reinforced the importance of approaching others with kindness.

Japanese Service Dog Resource Center
https://www.jsdrc.jp