Students from Iwakuni Middle School share their artistic abilities

IWAKUNI CITY, Japan (Feb. 14, 2020) -- The Yamaguchi Truck Association Iwakuni Branch hosted an art award ceremony for students from Iwakuni Middle School aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni and showcased the students’ art on 700 plastic document folders at Iwakuni Kokusai Kanko Hotel, Iwakuni City, Feb. 14, 2020.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Eric Harris, MCAS Iwakuni’s executive officer, Catherine Wright, an art teacher at Iwakuni Middle School, and six students from the school attended the ceremony.

The association hosts a drawing competition annually of local elementary schools with a theme of professional work vehicles. Three years prior to this event, the association extended its reach to the students aboard MCAS Iwakuni in support of the U.S.-Japan cultural exchange programs.

“I personally enjoy these types of events because it’s fun to come together with the local community,” said Harris.

Fifty-seven pieces of art from Iwakuni Middle School aboard the Air Station were submitted for the drawing competition this year. Nine pieces of art Iwakuni Middle School students won and were selected to be the design of document folders printed by the truck association.

“This was a first time for the association to reach out to the air station for combined exchanges,” said Harris. “I’m really excited to see future interactions between the air station and local Japanese community.”