JASO is thrilled to announce that Takako Elting has joined our staff.
Takako will be in charge of our Japan on the Road program, which gives elementary school students all over Oregon and Southwest Washington their first experiences of Japan.
Takako has dedicated her career to teaching children and celebrating culture. After growing up in Shikoku helping her parents run their preschool center, Takako studied Japanese Literature and Early Childhood Education in college in Osaka. Upon graduation, she moved back to manage the preschool for more than 10 years, and going abroad for one year, which she spent interning at Richmond Elementary School here in Portland. Takako also holds full teaching licenses for Japan at high school, junior high school and pre-k and kindergarten levels.
After returning to Portland 13 years ago, Takako started and runs the Portland Kimono Club, and is co-founder of the Japanese Women PDX group. For both, she creates and hosts events, workshops and gatherings that celebrate different elements of Japanese culture.
Japan on the Road is the largest elementary school outreach program in the nation, visiting 97 classrooms in the 2023-24 school year. More than 50,000 students have been introduced to Japan since the program started in 1996. The program has always been free to schools and relies on grants, sponsorships, donations and memberships with JASO to support its operations. More than 20 volunteers each year commit their time to visit classrooms with the staff member in charge.
If you’d like to welcome Takako, or ask about how to donate or even volunteer for the Japan on the Road program, please email info@jaso.org, and Takako will receive your message.
You can learn more about Japan on the Road here.
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