In the 2024 academic year, which marks the third year of the second phase as an SSH-designated school, we have continued our Future Creation Projects (integrated studies) aimed at achieving the SDGs and practicing ESD. Additionally, we have increased opportunities to share these efforts both within and outside the prefecture.

Among these initiatives, START2024 (Study Assembly of Research at Touohgakkan), held for the third time in July, served as an international conference where students presented their research conducted through integrated studies and SDG-related activities in English. This hybrid event featured the participation of Nonghin Wittayakom Secondary School (Thailand), which visited our school for the second consecutive year, and Naresuan University Secondary Demonstration School (Thailand), which also visited. Additionally, SMKA Kota Kinabalu Secondary School (Malaysia) and National Taipei University of Technology Affiliated Taoyuan Agricultural and Industrial Senior High School (Taiwan) participated online.

From Japan, participating schools included Hyogo Prefectural Toyooka High School, Tokai University Takanawadai Senior High School, Tokyo Metropolitan Tama High School of Science and Technology, Niigata Prefectural Shibata High School, Iwate Prefectural Ichinoseki Daiichi High School, Akita Prefectural Yokote High School, Miyagi Prefectural Furukawa Reimei High School, Fukushima Prefectural Asaka High School, and Fukushima Prefectural Futaba Future School. Within our prefecture, schools such as Yonezawa Kojokan High School, Sagae High School, Chidokan High School, and Murayama Industrial High School also participated.

Beyond START2024, our SDG-oriented inquiry activities have broadened in scope and achievements. Our junior high school students received the Best Poster Award at the “2024 UNESCO School Hokkaido-Tohoku Block Conference Presentation on Inquiry-Based Learning and Research by Students.” Furthermore, we have engaged in activities to preserve Kakuretomiyo, an endangered species, in collaboration with the Higashine City Kakuretomiyo Habitat Preservation Council, conducting population surveys and other related efforts. We are also planning our first visit to Nonghin Wittayakom Secondary School in Thailand this coming February, furthering our ongoing collaboration.