For Immediate Release
Contact: Lisa Acker
Permits & License Manager
Sister Cities Staff Liaison
651.385.5113
(October 3, 2022, Red Wing, Minn.) – Every year the Sister Cities Commission facilitates a student exchange program between high school and middle school students in Red Wing, Minnesota, and our sister city, Ikata, Japan. Our students travel to Japan and learn about its language and customs through homestays and cultural immersion. The program provides a unique, enriching experience for the students of Red Wing and an equally exciting opportunity for the group’s chaperone.
The Commission is searching for a community member who is willing to serve as a chaperone for up to six students who will be selected for the 2023 exchange trip and serve as ambassadors of the Red Wing community. The chaperone would travel with the students to Japan during the trip, tentatively set for 10-13 days in late July of 2023, and be responsible for the students during that time. The chaperone would also meet with the students prior to the trip to organize and participate in fundraising efforts and other activities related to the trip. There will be some financial assistance available to the selected chaperone to assist with the cost of airfare. A full listing of the chaperone expectations and application form can be found at http://www.red-wing.org/482/Ikata-Exchange-Program.
Applications will be taken until Monday, October 24, 2022. Potential chaperones will be interviewed by a committee of the commission between October 31 and November 4, 2022. The Commission plans to select the 2023 Ikata chaperone at their November 16 meeting.
Applications can be returned via email to Sister Cities Staff Liaison, Lisa Acker, at lisa.acker@ci.red-wing.mn.us or dropped off in person at the Community Development Department between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (419 Bush Street, Red Wing). Questions on the student exchange program can be directed to Lisa Acker at 651-385-5113.
The City of Red Wing is dedicated to the ongoing health and wellbeing of its residents. With its tradition of growth, stability and innovation, city leadership continues to maintain a proactive approach and a firm commitment to businesses, history, natural resources and, most important, the Red Wing community.