Christian Academy in Japan

all things work

TOGETHER

Fall 2021

Message from

Head of School
C H R O N I C L E

Welcome to the Fall 2021 CAJ Chronicle! The theme uniting thisissue is “All Things Work Together.” Though our minds were reaching

EditorDonna Lewis

for the ways our core statements such as Student Objectives holdeverything we do together, it is truly exciting and amazing to see theways that God has brought so many things together to complete
our building and renovation projects. We are extremely grateful for

Photo Editor

so many families in our CAJ community who have sacrificially given

Linnea McGlothlin

to this project that will enhance the education and opportunities for

Photo Contributors
Linnea McGlothlin
Erin Hughes

the students. We are thankful for the dedicated architects, designers,
construction workers, and many other people who contributed tothe completion of this. We are grateful for the vision of our Board
and Leadership who caught a glimpse of what could be. We alsorejoice with the students, who saved ¥500 coins toward completingthe field, and who are now thoroughly enjoying running and playing

Graphic Design
Juliana Barker
Christian Academy in Japan
1-2-14 Shinkawa-cho
Higashi Kurume-shi
Tokyo, Japan 203-0013

on the turf; volleying and shooting on the multi-use courts; andclimbing and swinging on the playground equipment. Praise God
from whom all blessings flow!
School is more than the facilities, but we celebrate the ways that ourbuildings and grounds support the larger vision of “equipping ourstudents to serve” and enhance the learning that flourishes here on
the CAJ campus.

+81–42–471–0022
www.caj.ac.jp
Anda Foxwell
Head of School
Follow us on Facebook@christianacademyjapan

PTA

CHANGES IN

membership

In May 2021, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members voted
and approved a change in the CAJ PTA Guiding Principles, regarding
membership. PTA membership is now designated as “those who areparents/legal guardians of currently enrolled students, current staff
and board members, and current SSS families.” With this change,
we strive to focus more on the currently enrolled students and theneeds of the school to fulfill its mission.

We continue to recognize and value the relationship with the wider Christian and missionary community,
and we hope to plan various events where we can connect and enjoy fellowship.
3

LIVING IN COMMUNITY
4

IMPACT 75
what a great impact!
BRYAN LEWIS | Business ManagerIt

has been an exciting time of capital development at CAJ since

Have you included JCAA in yourPlanned Giving arrangements?
For many years CAJ has been using
an associated entity, Japan Christian
Academy Association (JCAA), to assist
supporters wishing to donate to theschool, and we are so grateful for
all who have given in this way. With
increasing regulatory complexity in thisarea, we have decided it is now timeuse other specialist organizations forthis important function. If you havementioned JCAA as a beneficiary in any
Planned Giving arrangements could you
please contact the Business Manager on
blewis@caj.ac.jp to discuss how to makeany required amendment. Thank you.

the last update, and a time of great blessing as our students have begun to enjoy andbenefit from new facilities. Our Building Committee began meeting more than 4 years

ago to commence planning, both to replace aging infrastructure and provide new facilities
to meet the growing needs of the school. This led to the launch of IMPACT 75 in 2019 which
outlined a goal of completing 3 significant projects by 2025, our 75th anniversary.
All our expectations of that time have been

would highly value any further contributions

exceeded. We have recently completed not

through the giving section of our website

just Stage 1, our new multipurpose build-caj.ac.jp. We will soon be designing the final

ing, but also Stage 2, our new turf field andplay areas, and all during a pandemic! This
really is testimony to God’s ongoing provision
for the school and to the strong support ofour community, for which we are so grateful. We are also thankful for the professionalism, skill and support of our builders, Koshin
Construction, who have worked tirelessly tocomplete the projects.
Thank you to all who have supported us
through donating to the Turf Field appeal.
We have reached our initial target but

acknowledgment grid and honoring those
who gave, and this will be displayed on aprominent wall of the new building. A draft
grid can also be seen on our website.
We will definitely now take appropriate timeto celebrate and enjoy the new facilities andensure we use them in ways to maximize our
mission goals. Our attention will then soon
turn to Stage 3 of IMPACT 75 — but more
about that next time.
Praise the Lord for his provision.
5

TEACHING TRUTH
6

prepared
for theJOURNEY
ANDA FOXWELL
Head of SchoolH

ow is educating students

like preparing for a journey? To be
successful at either endeavor, weneed a clear destination and the right kind of
preparation. Our vision, “Equipping students toserve Japan and the world for Christ” describes
our destination of students prepared to serve
others in diverse cultural settings. But when
preparing for a journey, travelers need morethan just the destination. What sort of maps
will we need? What will be important to us as
we travel? How will we know when we reachour destination? Other core statements help us
with these.
We measure how we are progressing toward
our destination by using statements that wecall Student Objectives. These help us define
what a student must do or be if they are truly
equipped to serve. They give us snapshots of
the qualities we want our students to have.
For years, we have used the qualities of:
Responsible Learners, Discerning Thinkers,
Productive Collaborators, Effective
Communicators, and Faithful Caretakers to
describe CAJ’s students and graduates. During
the 2020-2021 school year, we took a long,
hard look at these objectives. We were willingto completely scrap them and start all over if
7

REFLECTING HIS IMAGE
8

they were taking us in the wrong direction,
but the more we examined them, the more
we were convinced that they just neededsome reordering and revising. The students
graduating in the 2020’s may need different
skills than their predecessors did decadesago. We needed to apply the same qualities
we wanted to see in our students with interpretations applicable in the 21st Century.
Being Faithful Caretakers is the quality thatgives shape and purpose to all the otherqualities we want to nurture. It had formerly
felt a bit like an add-on, but we want to beclear that this is exactly what students whoare equipped to serve “Japan and the world
for Christ” must be. Though all our Student
Objectives are important, Faithful Caretakers
is the primary goal for our students, with all
the other Student Objectives supporting it.
In other words, we want our student to:• Receive all God’s creation — self, others,

Beyond simply learning, we want ourstudents to be Discerning Thinkers. Fromkindergarten through grade 12, in age
appropriate ways, our students will:• Analyze and synthesize diverse
perspectives on an issue.

• Identify and evaluate multiple solutions
to problems.

• Revise thinking and work in pursuit ofexcellence.

• Interpret all types of information.
• Apply a Christian perspective to all areasof life and learning.

One of our core values at CAJ is that God
designed us for community. To function as
significant contributors in society, students
must be Productive Collaborators who:

• Create a positive environment thatencourages respect, creativity, andflexibility.

and the environment — as gifts to becherished and renewed.

• Provide and receive constructive

and the environment — and unfold its
potential for the flourishing of all and theglory of God.

We also want to guide our students tobeing Effective Communicators. We needpeople in our world today who are able to:and spiritual health.

• Employ various forms of communication.
• Engage with and navigate between• Care for all God’s creation — self, others,• Develop physical, social, emotional, moral,• Cultivate practices of forming andappreciating beauty.

• Seek God’s truth, goodness, and beauty
in and through diverse cultures andlanguages.

• Serve God and others locally and globally.
We acknowledge that schools are focusedon learning, and we want our students to be
Responsible Learners. This means they will:• Understand subject content.
• Develop and apply subject skills• Use reliable sources to support
conclusions.

• Integrate content and skills acrossfeedback.

diverse cultures and languages.

These Student Objectives provide us withmilestones to mark our journey of equipping students who will make a positive difference in the world they enter when theyleave CAJ. They provide a picture of what
equipped students look like at each stageof their development.
The journey of educating students is one
filled with towering mountains, quiet
valleys, dangerous waters...and also great joy.
Having signposts along the way helps thejourney be intentional, purposeful, and provides a way to reach the destination safely
and with a sense of accomplishment.

subjects.

• Take initiative and persevere to deepen
knowledge.

9

TEACHING TRUTH
10DAILY 5elementary
schoolliteracyIn

today's fast-paced, easily distracted world, how do we equip students to be motivatedand independent readers and writers? Research has shown that, when students havechoices in their learning, they are more invested in that learning. In 2010, CAJ elementary
adopted a language arts framework called Daily 5.

Daily 5 is based on six foundational elements:•

Routine periods during which students
read and write on their own, practicing
old and new skills

•
•
•
•
•

Focused instruction that introduces
new skills and guides student practice
Structure that reinforces independenceStudent choice of activities andreading content
Authentic reading and writing tasks
Instruction and expectations thatmatch brain development

Each classroom has adapted the basic elements
to fit the teachers’ and students’ personalities andneeds. The Daily 5, as its name suggests, consistsof five choices for the students:

1. Read to Self
2. Read with Someone
3. Listen to Reading
4. Word Work
5. Work on Writing

JEAN HINO | Elementary School Principal

building stamina in their independent reading
and writing. Each language arts period consistsof time for group instruction, student choice
work times, small group or individual instruction,and check-ins.
Along with the choice of what students want towork on, they are also given the opportunity tochoose their own books to read, and where theywant to work. Students don’t do every activity
every day, but teachers track activities weekly tobe sure that all students are practicing all of thenecessary skills. CAJ is blessed to have classroom
libraries that allow the students to choose books
from a variety of genres and levels.
Reading strategies are taught by using the acronym CAFE. C for comprehension, A for accuracy, F

for fluency and E for expanding vocabulary. Somelessons are repeated from year to year, adding
what is developmentally appropriate. Teachers
confer with students to encourage and monitor
growth as a reader and writer.
We are excited to adapt the Daily 5 structure
into our Japanese program as well, encouraging students to read and write at their own level.
Encouraging students to make choices in their

At the beginning of the year, students learn

learning and be responsible will help them as

various reading strategies and skills, and work onlifelong learners.
11E

ach May, more than two million highschool students take Advanced Placement

TEACHING TRUTH(AP) exams. These exams, offered by theCollege Board, are notable for
their intensity and difficulty,
intended to replicate collegelevel rigor. After all, College

AP

CLASSESand thechristianperspective

Board’s mission is to “connect
students to college success and opportunity”, anda high-achieving score of 4 or 5 on the 5-point
scale AP exam could result in college credit inthat subject at many U.S. colleges. In the process,students have an opportunity to challengethemselves in subjects that they enjoy, or which
may afford a head-start on their intended college
major. While the College Board’s goals of college
success and opportunity may sound admirable,
how does this play out in practice at CAJ, given
our unique situation compared to many otherschools that offer AP courses?
CAJ is distinct not only as a Christian school, but
as an international school. As a Christian school,
our vision statement, which drives every aspectof our program, is “equipping students to serve
Japan and the world for Christ”. As a diverse international school in Japan, we send our graduates
to an expanding list of colleges and universities
around the world. So the question, then, is towhat extent do College Board’s goals align with
CAJ’s goals? And what is the value of taking AP
courses when a student is planning to attend
university outside of the U.S. and college credit
for a certain AP score is not a possibility?

To what extent do College Board’s
goals align with CAJ’s goals?
Philosophically, there are fundamental differences, to be sure. As a Humanities teacher, I strive
for a pedagogy of grace in which my students
have multiple opportunities to demonstrate theirunderstanding and skills, and just as importantly,
to demonstrate their growth from lesson tolesson, unit to unit. This is perhaps nowhere moreclear than in my philosophy of teaching writing.
I allow the students time to peer-edit, seek feed-

NATE GIBSON | High School Teacher

back from me, and revise each writing assignment. Writing is not a zero-sum game, but rather
an ongoing process of refinement.

1213

By contrast, the AP English: Language exam asks

TEACHING TRUTH

students to write three separate essays in 2 hours
and 15 minutes, which prioritizes speed overdeliberation, and product over process. One markof a good assessment is its authenticity; its realworld importance, or connection to real-world
skills. Standardized tests and timed essays may
be rigorous, but they are not particularly authentic, as the skill of test-taking more or less begins
and ends with itself.
All the same, I do not believe thisdifference renders AP English
incompatible with CAJ’s vision,or my values as a Christianteacher. For my AP English students, I try to frame the three
timed essays on the exam as
more of a game than a final judgmentof their writing ability - a bonus challenge or a
puzzle rush. I am far more interested in how my
AP students grew from the start of the year to theend of the year, and how they performed on multiple essays over time than what their final exam
score was.
To balance a focus on growth and process with
the need to perform under a time limit on theexam, I allow multiple draft rewrites and revisionon all writing assignments first semester, andselect assignments second semester, while also
assigning somewhere between 15 and 20 timed
essays as opportunities for students to work on
speed and efficiency. And indeed, some students thrive when performing tasks of speed, andachieve high scores on the final exam. Other students, including some exemplary writers, struggle
when forced to rush, and do not score well on
the exam. While these latter students are unable
to pick up credit based on their exam score, I dooffer to write a college recommendation in which
I defend their skills of writing and analysis, if theywould like.
However, there is more to AP courses than the
final exam. The content is also worth considering in light of our vision as a school. AP English:
14

Language holds up much better by this metric, withstand up for what is good, true, and just. Taught

its focus on the skills of rhetorical analysis and argu-

properly, I believe that the AP English curriculum

mentation. As students learn to identify and analyze

can further this goal.

a speaker’s choices in light of the rhetorical situation, they develop a tremendous capacity for criticalreading and thought. This naturally extends into an
ability to craft a thoughtful, compelling argumentof their own. Analyzing other speakers’ awareness of
their audience and context, their use of logic, andtheir stylistic choices expands the students’ personal toolkit as they prepare their own arguments.
It helps them to recognize their own underlying
assumptions and biases more readily, to respond tocounter-arguments, questions, and concerns more
effectively, to select the best evidence and arrange it
logically, and to qualify their claim in helpful, defensible (non-reactionary, non-inflammatory) ways. As a
Christian, I sincerely desire for my students to leave
my class with not only a deeper ability to analyze
arguments that they encounter in the world, but a
deeper ability to respond to those arguments withgrace, winsomeness, and insight, and to adroitly

Likewise,MeganteachesAP

LaPoint,

Physics

and

who
AP

Calculus noted that her AP
Physics students “must learn
toapproachandanalyze

problems from a variety of perspectives, which challenges their
methods of thinking and instills perseverance.” Theseskills and traits do not simply begin and end withphysics--LaPoint believes that they will empower
students to face and respond to the challenges that
inevitably arise in a life of Christian service. Similarly,
LaPoint has noticed that the rigor of AP Calculus
helps students to “work through their fear of making
mistakes and build confidence.” Providing a space
to learn to embrace failure as part of the learning
process, and to demonstrate resilience in the faceof failure is part of a pedagogy of grace, just like15

providing opportunities to revise or rewrite an essay. LaPoint is confident that getting past

TEACHING TRUTH

a fear of failure will make students more “willing to work on difficult problems that seem
insurmountable.”That said, not all subjects’ content aligns quite so well with our vision. Keith
Kelleth, AP Economics teacher, pointed out a two-fold problem: First, “Thereis so much content in AP Economics, and it is so specific, that it is hard
to identify and spend time discussing overarching themes.” Comparing
AP Economics to his other subjects, World History and Comparative
Government, Kelleth commented that it was more challenging to think ofa driving storyline for AP Economics that could serve as the basis for integrating a Christian perspective. At the same time, he observed that AP Economics “lacks thefocus on order that the maths and sciences have.”
Secondly, Kelleth questioned the perspective at the forefront of AP Economics: “The test
assumes that peoples’ only motivation is personal gain. When students are working on a
problem for Economics, they can’t think of altruism or charity; they have to think from theperspective of what maximizes personal benefit.” So what can teachers do in the face ofcontent that seems to stand at odds with a Christian understanding of the world? Kelleth

Japanese universities, especially for those inter-with CAJ’s values and our understanding of how

ested in STEM programs. What I and other coun-

the world works, presenting unique challenges

selors are expecting is that in place of these subject

for teachers. Yet, these challenges are not insur-

exams, universities are going to start looking more

mountable, and our teachers have the creativity

at the AP courses.” So, although the practical benefits of AP courses may look different for many of ourstudents who choose to attend university outsideof the United States, they may still play an important role.
Like any tool or trend in education, the AP programis imperfect, replete with both benefits and flaws.
In our context, it may not consistently live up to
College Board’s goal of “connecting students tocollege success and opportunity” in the same way

and flexibility to meet these challenges head-on.
As we utilize this imperfect tool, we can help students to put the content and exams in their proper
context, and seize teachable moments to discuss
the shortcomings of high-stakes testing as an academic measure, as well as the power of a particular viewpoint or narrative to shape education, forbetter or worse. CAJ certainly has a unique environment compared to many other AP schools;
perhaps, in the end, the question is not whether orthat it might for many students in the U.S. Morenot AP classes have a role to play, but rather how

importantly, there may even be cases in which the

we as teachers can frame and teach our AP classes

form and content of the AP program clash outrightto work toward CAJ’s goals and values.

acknowledged “it requires a bit of dancing to teach it, balancing what the AP content
says with what we can observe in the world around us as Christians.” All of this speaks to
the need for thought and care in the way AP courses are taught, recognizing that on theirown and at face value, the AP philosophy of assessment, and even the content itself may
not align neatly with our Christian vision. Keeping that vision central while faithfully preparing students for a difficult and potentially consequential exam requires the very delicate balancing act that Kelleth suggests, a reality that the AP teachers at CAJ know well.

What is the value of taking ap courses when a student is planning
to attend university outside of the U.S?
Another factor that plays into the role of AP courses at CAJ is the fact that
we are an international school, and over the past decade, a growing
number of students are attending university in countries other than the
United States. Because College Board’s relationship is with U.S. colleges
and universities, universities in other countries do not award credit for ahigh score on the AP exam. Does this remove the external incentive fortaking AP courses? Not necessarily. Tom McGlothlin, Academic Counselor,observes that admission for students from an American-curriculum school into a numberof Commonwealth universities, in particular in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, isdependent upon achieving a specific AP score in certain subjects. McGlothlin explained,“they do not know how to interpret an American GPA, and they are accustomed to admissions based on high-stakes testing, such as A-levels in the UK. So, they simply replace theirdomestic tests with the AP tests, as well as the SAT, in most cases.”
Yukiko Howard, Japanese University Academic Counselor, anticipates a similar trend inJapanese university admissions for students coming from American-curriculum schools,
especially given the fact that the College Board has stopped administering SAT subject
tests as of this year: “These subject exams were a weighty variable for those applying to

1617

LIVING IN COMMUNITY
18

light bulb

moments

TAMARA HERSHBERGER | Grade 7 EAL Co-Teacher

Teachers love “a-ha” moments. The moment when a learner puts all the informa-tion together and the proverbial light bulb turns on is a joy to see. During professional
development training in February 2019, I had one of those moments. We were doinga book study about improving our co-teaching skills and, recalling the teachings of Virginia
Rojas about supporting our EAL (English as an Additional Language) students in all academic
subjects, I thought to myself, “Why don’t I co-teach more subjects other than just English?!”Co-teaching is two teachers collaborating
and sharing responsibilities for instruction
and assessment. In the current middle school
EAL program, only the English class had
co-teachers. However, this meant that some
non-native English speaking students might
not have been getting enough academic
vocabulary instruction in all of their classes.
As discussions continued, itogether with theprincipal, we created a new EAL program topilot for the 2020-2021 school year.
In addition to English, we decided to implement co-teaching in the science and social
studies classrooms. We wanted to create aclassroom environment that would become
language rich. This means that we nurturea love for learning and sharing ideas whiledeveloping the learner’s language skills.
Confidence to use language grows as
students gain more positive experiences.

habitats. As the unit progressed, we learned about
a species’ population and what factors impact
population growth and decline. What an impactful
association we made as we recalled our previous
lessons from social studies class. It was exciting forthe students to introduce the science teacher to ourmemory devices for the vocabulary words. Becauseof our new co-teaching commitment, I was able toguide the class to make the connections and createa richer learning experience.
Another significant experience was making connections with the Bible. While studying the Old
Testament, the students learned the word oppression and how God’s chosen people were being
oppressed by other nations around them andeventually taken into captivity. Later in social studies
class, the students learned about ancient civilizations like Babylon and Assyria. They used their Bibleand social studies textbook to compare timelines

and important events. One student declared “theyboth happened at the same time--they’re the same
people!” The room lit up as other students madethe same connection and the truth of the Bible wasrealized.
Collaborating with others is rooted in the New
Testament teaching of being one body, but many
parts. As teachers, when we work together cooperatively, we use our different gifts and personalities while we strive for the same objective. The
classroom becomes an encouraging environment
where students can build confidence and makeconnections. Our EAL students are benefiting fromhaving more time with teachers who can guide andsupport their learning. m.
As you can see, it’s not only students that have lightbulb moments. Teachers can too. Co-teaching is abright idea!

Students then use higher level skills andmake connections across the curriculum.
Last fall during social studies class, we werestudying about different circumstances that
affect a country’s population growth anddecline. We learned the verb migrate andanalyzed the difference between emigrationand immigration. Then we made memory
devices to explain the definitions. To makepersonal connections, we discussed travel,
passports, and customs and immigration at
the airport. Since all of our travel is restricted
due to covid-19, we enjoyed daydreaming
about where we’d like to go once travel
opens up again. It was an effective lesson
and the students were prepared for theassessment. The richness of this learning
experience was further enhanced when a
few months later in science class we werelearning about the environment and animal
19

destinations​TOM MCGLOTHLIN
Bible Department Head and Academic Counselor

2020

PHILIPPINES

OTHER

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

What other factors, then, might explain theseshifts? One is cost. The “sticker price” (costbefore financial aid) of universities in the UScontinues to rise steeply. Scholarships andneed-based financial aid can often bring thesecosts back down significantly, but much of thisfinancial aid is difficult to obtain for non-US
citizens. As a result, while US citizens can often
find university options that are affordable after
financial aid, non-US citizen CAJ graduates
have a much more difficult time. The same isincreasingly true in other countries. Many universities in Canada and Australia, for example,
charge non-citizens dramatically more thancitizens – often with even fewer opportunities

2019

Shifts in the demographic composition of the
CAJ student body only partially account forthese changes. Comparing two graduatingclasses, one decade apart, will be helpful here.
In the class of 2009, roughly 45% of students

were US citizens; in 2019, that number was
35% — a real decrease, but not large enoughto account for the drop in students goingto the US for university. In 2009, 30% were
citizens of Japan; in 2019, that number was
still 30% — providing no clear explanation forthe large increase in students remaining inJapan for university.

2011

What has changed significantly in recent
years is where those graduates choose topursue their higher education. In the past,
the United States was by far the most popular
destination for our graduates. As the chartaccompanying this article clearly shows,though, the proportion of graduates choosing
the US for college has dropped significantlyin the past decade. As recently as 2009, 80%chose the US for college. Yet that number
dropped to 45% by 2014 and has remained
between 45% and 55% since then. Duringthat period, the number of students choosing
Canada has risen to around 10%. The largest
increase, however, is in students choosing toremain in Japan for university: that number
has increased from 8% in 2009 to an averageof around 30% in recent years.

2010

S

ince its founding, the majority of CAJ students have continued on to higher education.
This remains true today. Roughly 80% of graduating seniors enroll in colleges or universities within a year of graduation, and many others enroll after taking a gap year.

2009

LIVING IN COMMUNITY
20

STUDENTDEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION OF THE CAJ STUDENT BODYUSA

CANADA

JAPAN

KOREA

HONG
KONG

UK

AUSTRALIA

NZ

21

LIVING IN COMMUNITY
22

for financial aid than in the US. Universities in Japan,
however, remain relatively affordable for all applicants,
no matter their citizenship.
Another factor is job prospects. Non-Americans graduating from US universities face strict requirements for
obtaining a work visa. If they are unable to meet theserequirements – quite difficult in all but a few sectors— they must seek work elsewhere. Many Japanese
students, for example, worry that they will receive agood but expensive education in the US, only to haveto return to Japan and compete on the Japanese job
market with a degree from a university that carries little
or no name-brand recognition in Japan. By contrast,
the most popular Japanese universities offering
English-language degree tracks – schools like Waseda,
Sophia, Keio, and International Christian University —have very strong brands here in Japan.
A final factor is options. Over the last decade, theJapanese universities with long-established Englishtaught degrees have increased their program offerings
to include areas like engineering. As more and more
students have applied to these programs – includingfrom other international schools, many of which haveseen similar trends among their graduates — admission has become very competitive. At the same time,
the number of Japanese universities offering Englishtaught degrees has increased dramatically (now wellover 30).

CAJ is working to equip students for success in these
new contexts through curriculum and advising. CAJ’s
US-based accreditation and high school curriculum,
including AP program, are widely recognized by universities around the world, making applications relatively
straightforward even for universities outside the UnitedStates. Recognizing the advanced Japanese language
skills that many of our students already have and thevalue those skills will continue to have for them incareer and ministry, CAJ has significantly strengthened
its course offerings in Japanese language for students
with native-level skills. CAJ has also hired an academic
counselor to focus on universities in Japan in order tohelp students navigate the ever-increasing program
options and their myriad application procedures. As our
graduates pursue their futures in Japan and in so manyother places around the world, these recent shifts intheir destinations are an opportunity to see CAJ’s visionin action: equipping students to serve Japan and theworld for Christ.

23

Alumni Updates
Jonathan McCune | class of 1957

I manage. It's amazing
to see how technology
can help vulnerable
people!”In 1948, the McCune family left the US as missionaries to China — Jonathan was nine years old. The
children studied at an English school in China forjust one year, as the Communist army moved south
to take control of the country. They then went toHong Kong and took up residence in a farming
village for two years — once again leaving because of
the Communist threat in Hong Kong.
In 1951 the family moved to another farming village,
this time in Ogawa Japan. Jonathan started in thesixth grade at Japan Evangelical Christian School —CAJ's original name when it began in 1950. Younger
brother, Daniel, and older sister, Grace, also attended.
In 1954 the McCunes established a church in Ogawa
that is still operating under a second-generation
pastor.
Following his ninth grade year in the Spring of 1954,
the family returned to the US, settling in Salem,
Oregon. Jonathan married shortly after graduationfrom South Salem High School in 1957 and thenraised five children with his wife. He worked as anewspaper printer at the Salem Statesman-Journal
for over 32 years.
After the children were grown, Jonathan moved to
Stockton, California, where he lived for many years.
He served on the pastoral staff of Christian Life
Center for about seven years. During this time, thechurch sent Jonathan to several countries as a shortterm missionary to teach in Bible schools. Jonathan
has taught in India, the Marshall Islands and with hiscurrent wife, Deniece, in Scotland.

Jonathan (now 82) would love to reconnect withany former classmates. He believes there were fewer
than 100 students total at that time. He can becontacted at jlmccune@gmail.com.
24

CAJ Alumni Updates is a forum for updates from alumni, provided as a community service. The inclusion of any pieceof alumni updates is not necessarily an endorsement by CAJ.

Mark Joseph | Class of 1986
Kimi Evans | Class of 1990
Matthew Little | Class of 2010
Matthew Little, Kimi Evans and Mark Joseph had amini-reunion moment during Summer 2021 when
they met on the set of Reagan, a biopic produced
by Joseph.
Eiko Narita | class of 1994
Dr. Eiko Narita attended CAJ from 1981 - 1989. She
came from a “standard Japanese family” and originally went to a “normal Japanese school,” where shesays everything felt limiting and restrictive. Her family“bumped into CAJ by chance”, though later they
feel that they were drawn here. She had almost no
English when she began, but she believes she wasgiven a chance to succeed.
After attending CAJ for 8 years, she graduated fromThe American School in Japan (ASIJ) and went on
to Cornell University and then to Harvard University
for her Masters Degree. She later earned her PhD
at National University of Chiba, doing research on
local governance in Tajikistan. Dr. Narita now works
with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
as a Deputy Representative in Bangladesh. She says,“I get excited when I'm able to really connect withsomeone who has a different perspective or views
than mine at work and help birth a new cooperationthat wasn't possible in the past by creating common
values with her/him. I also get excited about integrating new technology into the development work

Dr. Narita believes
one of the ways CAJ
preparedherforthe career she has
pursued, was building
compassion in her.
She says, “In my rolewith the UN, I often
face complex development problems that
Eiko Narita with Anda Foxwell during
require human relaDr. Narita's recent visit to CAJ.
tionships that 'work'.
Without compassion, it's not possible to build trust
and/or form a team that's enthusiastic about thework we do. CAJ, as a Christian school, provides
students with the foundational understanding ofChristianity; and that's important when we start tothink about the kind of human being we would liketo become. When I reflect on how Jesus lived, he's
the kind of person I would want to have as a friend
and a helper.” She still has fond memories of Thrift
Shop, of the Essenburgs teaching her in 8th grade,and still remembers the early experiences of kindergarten, especially as this year, her niece, Haruho, hasstarted at CAJ in that same grade.

Narita summed up her reflections saying, “I think
all young people, especially girls, need to be heard
and given a chance and space as they go througha bumpy life. I often think 'what if CAJ admissions
wasn't compassionate to give me a chance because
I didn't speak English? What if my parents didn't
support me attending CAJ (it's not a cheap school toattend!)?' I don't know how many people would havethought that a young girl who didn't speak English
and had no real qualifications to attend an international school like CAJ would end up at Harvard, workfor the United Nations and sit in a senior management post, speaking not only English but also Frenchon occasion for work. My life's achievement, thus far,
isn't so much about what I have accomplished, but isan evidence of how much support and understanding by family, good friends and schools can change
a person's life and thereby equip that person to give
more to others.“
Jonmarc Bennett | SSS participant
Jonmarc Bennett married Angela Ku, June 7, 2020.
in Santa Ana, California. 

Denise Owen, Eiko Narita and Rie Martin with Dr. Narita’s Nieces25

We would love to hear from you!
Take a few minutes right now — email your update to alumni@caj.ac.jp

Caitlin Willson | class of 2016
Caitlin Willson and Reuben Kikkert were marriedon September 27, 2021 at Camp Yukon, Atlin Lake,
Yukon in Canada. Many of their family and friends
were in attendance. Jonathan Bennett | class of 2017
Jonathan Bennett and his wife Makiah Josephson,
married May 21, 2021 in Cappadocia Turkey. 

ALUMNI REUNION

Save the Dates February 24-27, 2023
Inviting all alumni and CAJ staffers to attend this event at the beautiful Best Western Island Palms hotel
property in San Diego, CA. It will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect. There were over 135 attendees
at the 2016 reunion and we expect the 2023 reunion will surpass this attendance.
planning committee:
Bobby Howe, Ken Nielsen, Jennifer Plesman, Dan Sims, Tracey Davies, Margaret (Bower) Smith, Rick Seely
More information coming soon. Hope to see you in 2023!

26

EQUIPPINGSTUDENTS TO SERVEJAPANAND THE WORLDFOR CHRIST.

www.caj.ac.jp

Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support making our mission possible.

ACCREDITATION
Western Association of Schools and Colleges since 1976
GOVERNMENT STATUS
Gakko Hojin (School)