Student looks forward to a summer in Japan
15-year-old needs to raise $4K for exchange program
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

JENNIFER KOHLHEPP John Voorhees, 15, of Upper Freehold, leafs through his "manga," Japanese comic book, collection. He is planning a trip to Japan this summer.

ALLENTOWN - A lifelong dream will come true this summer for 15-year-old John Voorhees.

John can't really remember a time when he hasn't wanted to go to Japan, and he's finally found a way to get there. Because the trip will cost $4,000, there are a few things he must do before he can participate in a foreign exchange program sponsored by the National 4-H Council.

To raise money for his trip to Japan, John is holding a cookie and pizza dough fundraiser through April 16. He is also planning a flower sale later on in the year and is accepting donations as well.

"I'm very proud of him," his mother, Jane Sharp, said. "He's really worked hard at taking classes, filling out the application and writing letters trying to get donations. It's not me saying he has to do this. He's done all of it by himself, and it shows a lot of dedication."

To prepare for the trip, John, a sophomore at Allentown High School, took night classes at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, where he learned the Japanese language. Although he admits that his language skills are "still sketchy," he said he is familiar with the three written languages and one spoken language that are used in Japan.

Despite the 4,000 characters used in the kanji written language alone, John is not daunted by learning more. The Japanese language and culture have fascinated him since he created a school project about Japan while in elementary school. He was further intrigued by the country when he started reading and collecting "manga," which are Japanese comic books.

With assistance from 4-H, John will get to fully experience living the Japanese lifestyle for seven weeks when he joins other 4-H youth in Virginia on June 14 to embark on a Japanese Labo program run by the nonprofit Foundation for Worldwide International Student Exchange (WISE). He is the only 4-H member from New Jersey who is traveling to Japan.

According to 4-H agent Ellen Williams, John is demonstrating by his participation in this program that he is seeking to expand his knowledge and skills, thus living out the 4-H motto: "To make the best better."

The 4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. There are many different types of 4-H clubs, and John is a member of the Monmouth County 4-H Teen Council. The council is a group of high school students who get together to help others and have fun. Community service and mentoring younger 4-H groups are two key elements of the club's roles.

"As his leader, I can say without hesitation that John is an outstanding member of Teen Council," said Virginia Krzyzanowski, Monmouth County 4-H Program associate and Teen Council leader.

John's trip to Japan through the 4-H will begin with a three-week Nihongo program in Tokyo, during which he will continue studying the Japanese language in addition to learning about Japanese mannerisms and culture. He will be staying with a host family and will travel to the Labo school in Shinjuku.

Throughout the Nihongo program, John will take classes every weekday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. He will be able to use his afternoons for trips to a Japanese bath, store, or tea ceremony.

When the Nihongo program ends, John will move in with a different host family in Japan, where there will be a child his own age. He will experience the Japanese host family's lifestyle and live like a Japanese teenager for a month. Host family activities vary from family to family, but he will probably attend a Japanese school while staying there.

John's after-school activities may include visiting shrines and temples, going shopping, playing sports, going to the beach, visiting relatives in the countryside and helping around the house. He also expects to spend four days at a Japanese summer camp in another part of the country.

John plans to take a photo book with him to Japan to show those he meets what his life is like in the United States. When he returns, he will put together a similar book about Japan to show people here.

Of his expectations of the trip, John said, "I hope to visit many regions and better understand the Japanese way of life.

"I would also like to try more of the Japanese cuisine," he added. "I already love sushi. But more than all of those other things, I want to learn as much about the culture as possible and share this information with others. This trip will help me to accomplish this goal."

John, who plans to major in business in college, aspires to someday become a video-game programmer or an inventor.

Financial donations made toward John's trip are tax deductible and can be sent to the Monmouth County 4-H Teen Council, 4000 Kozloski Road, P.O. Box 5033, Freehold 07728. Those contributing are asked to put "John's trip to Japan" as the memo.

For more information, call 4-H, which is a part of the Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension of Monmouth County, at (732) 431-7263 or visit www.visitmonmouth.com.