November 14, 2025

On November 7, the Hughson Unified School District Superintendent was welcomed, along with five other representatives from Stanislaus County, to Kyoto, Japan, for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Kyoto University of Advanced Science High School. The celebration highlighted Kyoto University, also known as KUAS, and its partnership with the United States by inviting guests from hosting school districts and paying their way for a two-day tour and celebration of KUAS over the weekend.

This year marks 100 years since the founding of KUAS. During the presentations, 300 attendees from fourteen different countries listened to its vision and history, in which its founder came to the United States in the 1900s and realized that to have a voice in the modern world, it would be important for the Japanese people to learn to speak English. “He worked really hard in the US to learn English and went back to Japan and started the school,” Smith said.

And although the school has changed names several times over the course of a century, the focus has remained the same.

The program, which brings the KUAS students in their junior year at Hughson High School, began over twenty years ago. Students visit Hughson, Central Valley, Ceres, Enochs, Gregori, Ripon, Planada, and Delhi High Schools. While other countries might receive two or three students per semester per year, the United States, specifically Stanislaus County, is unique, both for the number of students it welcomes and the number of encounters these students experience. “Their goal is that all of their students understand the culture of America and learn English to have more advantages in the global economy,” Smith said.

During the celebration, the school band played, the chairman of the board, principal, administrator, mayor, governor and Linda Cooper, a former Activities Director for Ceres High School who coordinates the tour in California, spoke during the three hours of presentations.

After the speeches, dinner began, and a five-course traditional Japanese menu was served in the Hotel Granvia Kyoto.

On Sunday, guests toured Kyoto University of Advanced Sciences. Smith saw students practicing in the band room, the boys' volleyball team warming up in the gym, and the students' art gallery.

The tea ceremony club presented them with a traditional tea ceremony. Club members prepared and served macha tea with handmade autumn-inspired sweets called wagashi. The club coached Smith and the other guests in traditional practices, such as turning the cup in two half turns before drinking, and taking an odd number of sips before wiping it with a cloth and placing it back on the plate.

“I’m very glad that I went. I felt very honored that they were so appreciative of the partnership they have with the United States,” Smith said.

Experiencing Japan like this, Smith was impressed with the city’s cleanliness and sense of safety. “They were a very kind, generous, welcoming, and hospitable people,” she said. “It made me feel very honored to be a part of it, and more dedicated to making sure the experience is a positive one for our families and their students.”

The visit has inspired Smith as she looks ahead to future visits from KUAS. Each spring, five or six staff members visit the school, where they meet with Hughson’s program coordinator, Karalee Ruelas, Principal Loren Lighthall, and Smith, exchanging gifts and holding a brief meeting. Then, in the fall, students make their visit, stay with local families, and take a tour of the area.

Moved by their hospitality, Smith said, “I feel now I want to do more. I would like us to be more intentional in our visit with them in the fall, as they are here with students.”

“This trip gave me a better understanding and appreciation for the Japanese culture and their priority of being a US partner. They were incredibly generous, hospitable and kind. I look forward to their visit in the spring by the staff and the students returning in the fall to spend a week with our Hughson families.”

Reflecting on the program as a whole, Smith added, “Thank you to the families in Hughson who have hosted a student from KUAS in the past. Because of you, it is possible for their entire Junior class to visit America. It is a great experience for both the host family and the Japanese students.”