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Kate Dagley, Moeka Fukushi, Matsuki Chiba and Ashley Stristkey are part of the Japanese Lord Botetourt High School Exchange this year.

Thanks to a partnership between the Botetourt School division and Ritsumeikan school in Hokkaido Japan and partnered with the Dynex Corporation in Botetourt and Japan, two Japanese students and their teacher are here for a visit. Two Lord Botetourt students, Ashley Stritskey and Kate Dagley visited there at the end of June. This is the 11th year of the program.

Jun Nakagawa is the teacher from the school who has accompanied the two students, both girls, Moeka Fukushi and Matsuki Chiba. Fukushi said likes the American sweets best like ice cream. She has yet to try a Reece cup but it is now on her list. The other girl, Natusuki said she loves America and our homes are so beautiful. They have been to the Homeplace Restaurant for a taste of American home cooking.

Stritskey and Dagley said they enjoyed their trip to Japan this summer.

Stritskey said she misses the Chiba family as there were very good to her. Dagley said that school in Japan is much harder than here and the students stay until 6 p.m. they really enjoyed a Japanese BBQ which is cooked at the table and much different than an American barbeque.

This week they will go to Washingon, DC for an overnight, have special local trips and go to a football game at James River High School on Friday night before they depart on Sunday.

Doug Bleeker a teacher at LBHS is hosting Nakagawa, asked if the two LBHS girls had learned anything. Stritskey replied, "It is great to know another culture and Dagley,"I have learned I can do things I didn't know I could do!"

OTHER RECENT LORD BOTETOURT COVERAGE

* Sept. 16: Back to school night at Lord Botetourt
* Pediatric cancer awareness day at Lord Botetourt raises $1,000
* Sept. 15: Photos of Botetourt runners at Knights Crossing cross country meet
* Sept. 12: Photos from Lord Botetourt - Brookville football game
* Sept. 12: Lord Botetourt volleyball JVs fall to James River
* Sept. 11: Lord Botetourt dominates cross country meet
* Photos of Lord Botetourt’s fall sports teams.

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