Contacts & Application Materials
2012 Program
The Traveling Exchange Program (Outbound) application process typically occurs in early winter, with an application deadline in early January for summer travel. This gives program coordinators some idea of how many Alaska delegates will be traveling to Japan in the coming summer. If you cannot make the application deadline, or if you have questions about the application process or the program, contact the Outbound Program Coordinator, Jill Holmgren (907-455-6987).
Please note that not all of the forms are required by the application deadline; the medical forms and passport photocopy may be submitted separately up until the end of February. Additionally, if you and your family have participated in the exchange program before by hosting a Japanese youth delegate, you may also apply for the hosting family grant (see form below). This deducts a modest amount from the traveling program cost.
When you are completing your delegate application, feel free to use more than one photo on the photo page. Be as creative as you like - you may use several photos and decorate the page as you would in a scrapbook. You may also indicate on your application if you have preferences for a particular region of Japan, or size and type of location (city, rural, large city, small city), or if you wish to stay near a Labo member that you met when he or she stayed in Alaska.
Your cultural project will be a simple repetitive song, story, craft or game that you will teach/read to other youth in Japan. The game could be an active one like duck/duck/goose, or a song with hand motions, or a card game l ike Uno or Go Fish. Japanese homes have very small ovens, so the meal you choose to cook for your host family should be something done on top of the stove. Past delegates to Japan have served foods like macaroni and cheese, pancakes, tacos and rice krispie cookies. You'll bring the dry ingredients and your host family will take you to the store if you need to buy any meats, vegetables or fruits.
When you return to the United States, you'll want to share your Japan experience. You can produce a video/powerpoint, send out a newsletter, write an article for the local newspaper, make a presentation to a school, community or youth group, teach origami to younger children, or do something else that you choose.
Let your references know that we would like to hear from them soon, so that we can process your application. If you are homeschooled and don't have a school representative, ask an adult who knows you to write a reference.
After your application has been received, you will be contacted by phone and e-mail. Please make sure that you put both on your application, and include your parents' e-mail addresses so that we can keep them informed. If you do not have e-mail, put a parental e-mail address, or note that your family does not have e-mail.
Application deadline for the 2012 exchange is January 15. Please contact Jill Holmgren at japanalaska@gmail.com or 907-455-6987 if you think you will miss this deadline.
Completed forms may be mailed to: Jill Holmgren, 1150 Molly Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709-6301
Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print these files.
Additional Info and Application Forms
Please read first: Application Notes and Directions
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