Recently, I presented the Harvard Prize Book at Junten High School’s Award Ceremony.

最近、私は授賞者として、順天高校の授与式で２０１７年度のHarvard Prize Bookを授与しました。

Table of Contents

• About the Harvard Prize Book
• ハーバード・プライズ・ブックについて
• Winner of 2017 Harvard Prize Book: Mr. Takeru Ohmura
• My Speech to the Students: The Appeal of Liberal Arts
• Interviewed on Mentorship Activities
• Related Articles:

About the Harvard Prize Book

Harvard Prize Books are awarded to outstanding students in the next-to-graduating high school class who display excellence in scholarship and high character, combined with achievement in other fields. Harvard Prize Books are presented annually in nearly 2,000 high schools around the world. In Japan, about 20 schools participate in the program. Prize Books are an important way for Harvard Clubs and Shared Interest Groups (SIGs)　to help attract the attention of talented young students to the opportunities at Harvard College and studying liberal arts.

Junten High School has been awarding Harvard Prize Books annually since 2014. This year, there were many contenders for the Prize. The final winner selected was Mr. Takeru Ohmura　(大村武尊), who has demonstrated great persistence and determination in pursuing his passion for studying hospitality.

ハーバード・プライズ・ブックについて

Harvard Prize Bookは、高等部２年生の優秀生徒のうち、特にリーダーシップがあり国際的視野を持ち海外進学も考えている生徒１名に、Harvard Club Japan（ハーバード大学同窓会の日本支部）から本が送られるという行事です。毎年全世界２０００校ほどで実施されていますが、日本での実施は２０校に満たない数です。順天高校では２０１４年度から実施していて今回は４人目の受賞者を選出しました。今年の受賞者は大村武尊君です。

Winner of 2017 Harvard Prize Book: Mr. Takeru Ohmura

Mr. Takeru Ohmura　(大村武尊) is the Winner of Harvard Prize Book 2017 at Junten High School

Congratulations Mr. Takeru Ohmura for his excellent achievement! It was an honor to present him with the Harvard Prize Books and learn about all of his ambitions. At such a young age, Mr. Omura has already had the experience of studying hospitality over his summer breaks in the UK and Switzerland. Although he had applied for the prestigious Tobitate Japan study abroad program sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), he was regrettably not accepted. However, rather than letting this outcome discourage him, Mr. Omura managed to turn the experience around by being even more motivated to pursue self-study and achieve the same exposure. I truly wish him all the best and that he can achieve his dream of studying hospitality management at the Glion Institute of Higher Education.

大村君は昨年夏にイギリスとスイスに研修に行き、ホスピタリティの勉強をしてきました。当初は、トビタテ留学JAPANに応募しましたが、惜しくも採用とならず、それでも自力で同じ内容の研修を実現させました。その粘り強さと積極性が受賞理由の一つです。また、研修の成果を生かして、海外の大学でホスピタリティーの勉強をするために、志望校も決めて進学準備をしています。そんな大村君に本を贈呈しました。おめでとうございます！

My Speech to the Students: The Appeal of Liberal Arts

To conclude the Harvard Prize Book Award Ceremony, I addressed the high school student body and gave a short speech sharing my views on the importance of being globally minded and how a liberal arts education can provide important and life-changing opportunities. (I have also spoken and written on this in a previous blog post on “The Appeal of Liberal Arts リベラルアーツの魅力”) I hope that more students will be encouraged to go abroad and widen their horizons.

Harvard Prize Bookの授賞式を締結するために、私は高校生たちと、グローバルマインドを持つことの重要性とリベラルアーツ教育が重要かつ人生を変える機会を得る方法について、自分の見解を提供しました。 （このトッピクについて、前のブログ「リベラルアーツリベラルアーツの魅力」

にも書いてあります。）

より多くの学生が海外に行き、彼らの視野を広げて、頑張れることを願っています。

After the Award Ceremony, I also had a discussion session with the winner and two runner-ups for the Harvard Prize Book. The other top contenders for the prize included a girl who studied abroad in Australia and is keen on pursuing politics and diplomacy, as well as another boy who discovered his passion for literature and writing after spending time living abroad. We spoke about their dreams and aspirations, and I once again emphasized the importance of a global education and encouraged them to actively learn and pursue their goals.

今年度のプライズブックには多数の応募があり、選考は激戦となったらしいです。授与式の後で、惜しくも受賞できなかった優秀生徒の二人も大村君と一緒に、将来の夢について話合いました。私は、将来活躍するためにリベラルアーツを勉強することの重要さを強調し、積極的に学ぶ学生たちを激励しました。

Interviewed on Mentorship Activities

Related, I was honored to be interviewed and featured by the Overseas Singaporean Unit on their official media in an article on “Giving Back Through Mentorship” and “Contributing from Afar: Rachel Leng”! The OSU in the Prime Minister’s Office is part of the Government of Singapore’s efforts to engage its citizens overseas (under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth). 

それに関連して、Overseas Singaporean Unitというシンガポール政府の文化省、青少年省から取材を受けて、政府公認メディアに「メンタリングを通して社会に還元する」や「リン・レイチェル：海外から貢献する」についてニュースレターに掲載されました！首相官邸のOSU（文化省、青少年省）は、シンガポール政府が海外の市民に対して従事する努力の一環です。

To date, I have mentored students and young professionals in China, Japan, South Korea and the United States (U.S.) in areas ranging from leadership to global careers.

For me, mentoring is a way for me to come full circle, from starting out as a college student at Duke University, to my various appointments around the globe. Such experiences have given me unique insight into how my life has been shaped by them.

As I reflected on my own experiences, I became increasingly passionate about ‘paying it forward’ as a mentor. It can be difficult for anyone to build experience and enhance their potential without knowing about available opportunities or how to access them. Mentoring is therefore an effective way to offer opportunities, information, insight and resources to others who could benefit from them. I hope to continue and improve on this for years to come!

今まで、リーダーシップからグローバルキャリアに至るまで、中国、日本、韓国、米国の学生や若手専門家を指導しました。

私にとって、指導者になることは、世界で経験した様々な事を、人に伝えていくという計画です。それは、デューク大学を卒業した時から、私の夢です。

そのような経験から、私の人生がどのように形づくられているかについて自分自身で考えることができました。

自分の経験を鑑みて、メンターとして「前進する」ことにますます情熱を感じました。 利用可能な機会や方法について知らなくても、誰でも経験を積み重ねて潜在力を高めることは難しいですよね。 したがって、メンタリングは、恩恵を受ける可能性のある他の人に機会、情報、気付きおよびリソースを提供する効果的な方法です。これからも邁進してまいりますので、宜しくお願い致します！

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The post 2017 Harvard Prize Book Awards at Junten High School <br> 順天高校の2017年度ハーバード・プライズ・ブック授与式 appeared first on Rachel Leng.