The 21st Century
Community Schoolhouse

May 15, 2001

Salem-Keizer students chosen to represent the U.S.

at international youth summit in Toyama, Japan

Nine Salem-Keizer teenagers – all students at The 21^st Century Community Schoolhouse – are part of a team of 11 Oregon high school students recently selected to represent the United States and North America at the International Youth Environmental Summit in Toyama, Japan this summer. 

With the honor comes the challenge of raising $15,000 to send the delegation of students and teachers to Japan for the weeklong summit, July 31- Aug. 7.  The money will pay for travel and summit preparation expenses.  After the students arrive in Toyama, all expenses for accommodations, meals and activities will be covered by summit sponsors in Japan.

  “We have an ambitious goal ahead but we’re confident that our fundraising challenge can be met,” said Joe James, the lead teacher for the student delegation. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and honor for these students, their local communities and for Oregon. We’re hopeful that individuals, businesses and organizations will respond with support.”

The nine student delegates selected from The Community Schoolhouse are: Jason Anderson, sophomore; Aundrey Contreras, freshman; Edith Lopez, junior; Melina Martinez, freshman; Amanda Miller, sophomore; Alison Pascal, sophomore; Gregg Russell, sophomore; Rhoie Stewart, freshman; and Erin Sutton, sophomore.  Also selected to represent the U.S. delegation were Chris Hirschler, a senior at McCoy Academy in Portland, and Ricardo Perez, a senior at Aztec St. Academy in Woodburn. 

The student delegates represent three Oregon schools participating in The 21^st Century International Schoolhouse, an international group of high schools that work together to address environmental challenges and meet high educational standards. (See attached FACT SHEET.)  The global education project and upcoming summit includes schools from Argentina Australia, Brazil, Israel, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Uganda and the U.S. (Oregon).  Schools in China and Germany will be added later this year. 

The Japan summit is the third biennial youth summit coordinated by The 21st Century International Schoolhouse.  In 1997, Oregon (Salem) hosted the first summit involving six countries.  The second summit was held in 1999 in Perth, Australia.

The United States student delegation was selected through a written application process, as well as interviews with a panel of business, education and community leaders.  Salem-Keizer business representatives on the interview panel included Carole Smith, member of the Salem Downtown Association, Mark Messmer, owner of Shryock’s Apparel, and Randy Compton, president/CEO of Pioneer Trust Bank.

For more information, contact Joe James at 503-763-8958 (Salem) or 503-524-8868 (Portland), or visit the project Web site at www.21cs.org.

contact: school@communityschoolhouse.org