What is Kitano High School?

MATSUMOTO Asuka

Kitano High School is well known to most people who live in here Osaka. I didn't know the"real life"at Kitano until I entered this school. All I knew about it was the name and a few things about it. I passed the entrance exam, and now I am a 1st year student at this school. I've attended to Kitano high school for about 10 months. So, I guess I am much more familiarized and I'm getting used to the school life at Kitano. Accordingly, I will write what I have in mind about Kitano.

When I was a junior high school student, I thought students of Kitano High School as hard workers. I mean they were serious and eager in their studies just to enter good universities. But it wasn't just like what I had thought. On the first day at KITANO, at the entrance ceremony, we were told that we would spend on school life with other students at KITANO HIGH SCHOOL, not only to increase our knowledge, but also to become independent people. It means that we understand ourselves more deeply and learn to work together with others. And I remember that we were given a lot of advice concerning our school life. It was difficult for me absorb them all., but I realized that I was now one of the "KITANO students".

"KITANO students"is the word I often hear from some teachers. One teacher often uses it in a bad, completely mistaken way in his class, although this is my personal opinion. He says like this,"Of course you can do it since you all are'KITANO students', can't you?"or"You have to do it because you all are'KITANO students'. "Your seniors could do it, so you can do it." " KITANO students'could do it, so you can do it". He might think he doesn't mean it like that, but I also think be in going too far.

But it sounds old-fashioned and strange to me because we are all different individualities. I just don't want to be told in that way. I suppose it is kind of strange that KITANO is supported by those peculiar teachers. It's most likely the reason why KITANO has its own history filled with unique traditions and pride, which has been handed down for 125 years. What a long time it is! And I can't deny the solid history is the basis of the growth of KITANO HIGH SCHOOL.

For the first few months, I was wondering if I had been right　in choosing KITANO. But, now I'm really glad to be a student of KITANO. One of the reasons is that I am surrounded by good friends. When I was a junior high school student, I would sometimes imagine what sort of students of KITANO were. And now I have quite a lot of friends in KITANO. I feel happy that I've made lots of friends. They are all interesting to me, and I think they have their own individualities. We have a exchanging students program between KITANO and KENTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, America. This is most amazing and extremely interesting thing that I've ever known about KITANO. I have a deep interest in foreign countries. Some students and one teacher visit to each other's school and we both enjoy family stay. I think this is a very good chance to have an experience with foreign high school and a different culture.

I've found many other interesting things at KITANO. For example, club activities are very popular; the school library has thousands of books; there's an impressive music festival; there're so many devoted teachers who can give us good lessons. There's a lot more things to write about our school, but, the only problem for the students of KITANO is that we have to study very hard, I think. However, we know we work for ourselves, not for others. I do believe so. So, we will probably reap the reward of our effort someday. But, who knows? I don't know, either. But without present efforts, there will be no bright future.

Anyway, I want to study at KITANO however hard it may be, and I wish I could reflect my school days as the best part of my life in the future.