In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the sister city relationship between the city of Atlanta and Fukuoka, Japan, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the Fukuoka-Atlanta Youth Exchange Program.
APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson signed the MOU in the auditorium of North Atlanta High School alongside the Mayor of Fukuoka, Sōichirō Takashima; the Atlanta-Fukuoka Sister City Committee Chair, Keiko Scott; Delta Air Lines Japan sales Regional Director, Yokosawa Akinori; and Korean Air Managing Vice President of Japan Regional Headquarters, Suk Woo Lee.
Through this partnership, Delta Airlines and Korean Air Lines will provide support for the exchange program with flight ticket discounts, company visits, and other means.
“With the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding for the Fukuoka-Atlanta Youth Exchange Program, we proudly reaffirm our commitment to promoting continued cultural and international student exchange,” Dr. Johnson said. “This work is essential not only for education, but for preparing young people to thrive in a global society. The bonds that we are building together benefit not only our students but also our local economies and global connections.”
North Atlanta High School has had an informal student exchange relationship with Fukuoka for nearly 30 years, according to APS director of multilingual programs and services Dr. Margaret McKenzie. Now, through this MOU, APS is expanding the partnership to include schools like Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSK), where Japanese is one of the five languages taught at the school.
“One of the things that I’m most excited about is that this provides our high school students with an opportunity that many of us never had or would have to wait until college to have,” Dr. McKenzie said. “It allows them to think differently about their futures.”
Saccaria Burts, a senior at CSK, found her interest in Japanese culture through watching anime. APS’ partnership with the Japan Foundation that began in 2021 made way for a Japanese language program at CSK, and Burts has been taking Japanese since she was a freshman. She showcased her proficiency by speaking in Japanese to the audience near the end of the MOU signing ceremony. For Dr. McKenzie, it was the highlight of the year to see the fruits of this partnership in action.
Burts has been to Japan twice already and loved her experiences visiting historical sites, meeting new people, staying with a host family, and fully immersing herself in the culture.
“When you first go over there, you have so many fears. But after being there for a while, you realize most of the fears are just in your head,” she said. “This signing ceremony is not just about creating a relationship but strengthening it and making sure that the relationship stays strong.”
Several exchange students from Fukuoka were also in attendance at the ceremony, including Matsuo Koyuri, who also delivered a message in both Japanese and English. During her stay, she found that even if you can’t speak English well, you can still communicate and connect with other people.
“While I’ve been here in Atlanta, I’ve met so many wonderful people,” she said. “They’ve been so friendly, and I’ve learned so much from them. When I go back to Fukuoka, I can’t wait to tell my friends about all the experiences I had while I was abroad.”
The MOU will allow APS students and students from Fukuoka to continue benefiting academically and culturally from the Youth Exchange Program for years to come.
“Over the past two decades, this relationship has been a bridge connecting young people, building friendships, and fostering understanding across languages and cultures,” Dr. Johnson said. “Let us look forward with excitement and confidence knowing that the next 20 years of this partnership will bring even greater achievements, deeper connections, and brighter futures for both the students of Atlanta and Fukuoka.”