Winmalee and Arima Senior High School Sister School Exchange Program
This student and cultural exchange program started at Winmalee High School in 1999. Each year a student arrives in Australia from Arima Senior High School, in the Hyogo Province of Japan. Arima Senior High School is the oldest school in Sanda (Sister City of the Blue Mountains) and is situated on the site of an old castle and is an agricultural high school. The student on exchange in Australia is hosted by a couple of different families, usually families of students who are currently studying Japanese as part of the curriculum at our school.
Our return or reciprocal visit to Japan usually comprises two students participating in an exchange for six months to lessen the impact upon their school life. This occurs across our summer break for this reason. The students find the experience a very rich one as they are not only immersed in the language but are able to experience the culture and education first hand.
We look forward to many more years of participation in this sister school relationship with Arima Senior High School. Every second year we conduct an overseas excursion to Japan and spend a week at Arima Senior High School. During this time, our students are billeted by local families and they attend school with their billet, participate in a range of activities and undertake organised day trips