Celebration for the 3rd years

The day after the sake tasting there were luckily no classes. Instead there was a celebration for the soon to graduate 3rd years. There was a slide show, speeches, and singing. It was very nice. Before hand I asked if I could take pictures and they were so gracious as to allow me to do so. Here are some far away pictures and even some videos. The sound quality is really crappy since it's from my digital camera, but you can at least get the idea.

1st years preparing to sing.

The 1st years skit/cheer for the 3rd years.

It's a slight parody on a traditional Japanese Pep Squad.

They are saying "Senpai! Ganbare!"

(Senpai = senior, superior or upperclassman

Ganbare = keep trying, work hard or good luck)

The 2nd years skit involved big flash cards

held up by individual students.

I was there when they first tried to organize

the students to get it to work right...

It took a lot of work!

2nd years singing

3rd years preparing to sing

This is a very popular song right now

by Angela Aki called Tegami.

I think it's a super touching song.

Other student listening to the 3rd years song.

Now... all the students are up to sing...

Look at all those empty seats!

All 450 of them.

And there they are...

All my absolutely spectacular,

sometimes trouble making,

but still super great...

Uenohara Junior High School students!

And here they are singing.

Again the quality is crap!

You'll see one of the teachers running to the front

to fix the microphone in the piano. ^^;