Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School: Farewell Party for Graduates

Image above: Performances by various clubs

At Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School, the "Farewell Party for Graduates" is held as a student council-sponsored event during the special curriculum period in March (a period where classes and events follow a different schedule than usual). Following the proficiency tests in January and the university faculty recommendation announcements in February, this event is a grand celebration by current students for the 6th graders (12th graders) who have completed their three or six years of student life at our school and are about to become "graduates."

The event consists of two parts. The first part takes place in the university hall, where members primarily from the 5th grade (11th grade) in the brass band, chorus, light music, dance, and chamber music clubs perform for the 6th graders who have supported them. They also watch message videos filmed by current students. For the second part, the venue moves to the school's large classroom, where students write messages on shikishi (decorative cards) for each other and take photos.

This is one of the few events where current students (4th and 5th graders) handle over 90 percent of the necessary work, including planning, drafting, communicating with outside vendors during the preparation stage, and managing operations on the day of the event. Because it is a student-led event, one can see the natural, candid expressions of the graduates that are not typically seen at a formal graduation ceremony. For the graduates, it is one of their unforgettable memories before graduation, and for the current students, it serves as the final event where they can be inspired by seeing their seniors one last time before they depart.