Savannah Mae and Coach Plumlee talk about fear of cancer. Photo contributed by: Aylyn Echeverria

By Mai Takeuchi

There was “Smash Cancer” on April seventeenth. Although it was nice and cold, many people came to watch our girls play. They also sold cancers shirts, each color has its own meaning  and then cookies baked by tennis team girls. Boys tennis team did this for the first time last fall. Coach Haeck said that they decided to host a “Smash Cancer” match because they wanted to bring awareness about many forms of cancer, and they wanted to honor families in their tennis family and local community that have been affected by cancer. It felt great being able to honor both cancer victims and survivors, and being able to come together to raise money for a worthy cause.

Ladies smashed cancer with announcing who they are playing for.  Photo contributed by: Aylyn Echeverria

I do not have any events such as fund raising by students in my country. My school would pay for club activities to get team shirts, balls, or scoreboards to some degree, but if we cannot get enough money for our staffs we just give up to perform that. My school council actually is trying to help people who are disadvantaged children in Africa and people who are still struggling from the earthquake of the Pacific coast of Tohoku in 2011.  They are gathering stationery-writing materials from our high school students and going to Tohoku for volunteering during summer vacations. However there are not many students participating raising money, even though they announce they want volunteers. I feel that Japanese students are less interested in those kinds of things than how American students are. I would say it does not mean we are cold people, we are lack of independence. It means although we are sorry for people and want to help them, we might wait for the other people who are going to do that. I think it is linked with our culture. It is good to read the situation so if we have opinions that is against the atmosphere, we just try not to exhibit them. We hide our opinions making us more independent.

Therefore I was surprised and moved by getting to know that Plymouth High School students would love to do. It is absolutely great. I feel more thoughtful here in the United States. The students seem to think a lot about other people and how they feel. I am glad to get an opportunity to experience two quite different types of high school lives. It actually made me want to be a volunteer for the earthquake after I go back to Japan.