This article was written by Dr. Nancy Sato, former Japan Project Associate at SPICE, from 1982 to 1991. In its early years, SPICE comprised several separate area-focused projects. This is the ninth of several articles—focusing on the 50-year history of SPICE—that will be posted this year.

My standout memory of SPICE from 1982–1991 is that our colleagues were the most expert, dedicated, community-minded, and heartwarming educators, devoted to international and cross-cultural education and understanding. Their most laudable and effective approach was amplifying teachers’ voices in developing and implementing curricula to best teach, learn from, and reach the rich diversity of students in their classrooms.

The unique combination of the top university experts in each geographic and content area, working together with experienced educators with exquisite teacher professional development and curriculum development skills, while also bringing teachers, students and families into the process, created the most meaningful ways to expand all of our perspectives of the world and global understanding.

I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this marvelous group of colleagues and mentors who transformed my personal and professional life, even gaining my “big brother” Steve Thorpe, fellow Social Studies educator. My early career at the Boston Children’s Museum, first as their school desegregation coordinator and then as their multicultural education specialist, set the stage. The museum’s reputation as a leader in advancing experiential education and hands-on learning was a natural match for highlighting the importance of engaging, interactive learning that characterizes SPICE materials.

My SPICE journey had a serendipitous beginning—since the Boston Children’s Museum housed Harvard’s Outreach program, a sister Outreach program to Stanford’s SPICE, David Grossman became a frequent, annual visitor. His consummate knowledge of teaching, working in the schools, and making learning authentic, comprehensive and enjoyable, was apparent. I knew that working in SPICE as I pursued a PhD in education would be a perfect match, so when David introduced me to that idea, and to Kay Sandberg Abe, the Japan Project director, I was blessed to enter the wondrous world of SPICE, with their excellent mentorship. The Discovery Box unit, about how to use artifacts to enhance classroom learning, was a highlight, along with Wendy Wong’s fabulous curriculum unit cover designs.

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David’s leadership and engaging personality brought together an amazing group of educators, whose spirit, camaraderie, laughter, and expertise created a global, multicultural family that not only provided mutual support while working together, but spans generations, as we still keep in touch, share ideas, and gather at reunions. And all this was enabled through the strength, compassion, and wisdom of Ron Herring, Director of CISP (California International Studies Project), our umbrella organization at that time.

I’ll always remember the key features of our message for international education, that serve us all even more today: multiple perspectives, interdependence, context, change, authenticity, empathy, and genuine caring for people all over the world—with special attention to those voices and perspectives not typically represented. And those key principles mirror our SPICE family, the most caring, curious, close-knit family and community of scholars who continue to expand global understanding by promoting empathy, hope, and activism to improve the world around us. The SPICE family inspires us to continue our friendship and collective lifelong learning and action.

“SEUS is an extraordinary opportunity for high schoolers who are curious enough to question, confident enough to share their mind, and open-minded enough to change their point of views.” —Haya Y., VA
 

Stanford e-Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) enrolls exceptional high school students from the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japanese society and culture. Both courses underscore the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation is the current supporter of Stanford e-Japan, and the Japan Fund at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is the current supporter of the RSP.

On August 3, 2026, the 2026 Japan Day award ceremony was held at Stanford University to honor SPICE’s Spring and Fall 2025 Stanford e-Japan student honorees and 2026 RSP student honorees. Stanford e-Japan instructors Waka Takahashi Brown (spring course) and Meiko Kotani (fall course), RSP instructor Naomi Funahashi, and the research paper review committees selected the honorees. The honorees are:

Spring 2025 Stanford e-Japan
Mahono Fuji, Seinan High School, “From White Flight to Gentrification: Rethinking Urban Spatial Inequality”

Nagi Matsuyama, Doshisha International High School, “Reconsidering U.S.–Japan Food Trade”

Jinichiro Taguchi, Kaijo High School, “U.S. Foreign Policy and the Monroe Doctrine”

Honorable Mentions:
Dion Munasingha, Yaizu Chuo High School, “Language Support for Children of Immigrants in Japan and the United States”

Natsuka Yamamoto, Keio Girls Senior High School, “Future of Natural Disaster Response Management in Japan and the United States”

Fall 2025 Stanford e-Japan
Sawa Ito, Iida High School, “Mental Health in the United States and Japan: Beyond the Numbers”

Yurino Ohara, Okayama Asahi High School, “Redesigning Japan’s OTC Policy: A Digital Strategy for Fiscal Sustainability and Patient Protection”

Amy Yanai, The British School in Tokyo, “Community Resilience and Soft Power: Disaster Recovery in the U.S. and Japan”

Honorable Mentions:
Takaki Okada, Musashi High School, “Anti-Globalism Sentiment in the United States: Its Causes and Effects”

Aiko Nakano, Shizuoka Futaba Senior High School, “A Comparison of Refugee Recognition Systems in Japan and the United States: The Role of Public Awareness”

2026 Reischauer Scholars Program
Emma Bouvard, The Nightingale-Bamford School, “The Unfinished Promise of Womenomics: Entrepreneurship and the Limits of Gender Equality in Japan”

Erin Tsutsui, Gunn High School, “Reaffirming Japan’s Commitment to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles”

Lisa Yoshida, Monta Vista High School, “The Architecture of Achievement: Structural Equity, Affect Valuation, and the Future of Education in Japan and the U.S.”

Honorable Mentions:
Anmol Singh Josan, Eastside Preparatory School, “The Digital Escape Hatch: Virtual Schools, Futon, and Japan’s Unfinished Educational Reform”

Mika Shimada, Hilton Head Prep, “From Stagnation to Adaptation: Japan and the Redefinition of Economic Success for Developed Nations”

Takahiro Uchida, The Wheeler School, “How Economic Policy Shaped the Soft Power Divide Between J-Pop and K-Pop”

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The program began with welcoming comments from the Honorable Kotaro Otsuki, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. He commented that the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan are very important for our two nations—given that both engage future leaders in both countries—and extended congratulatory comments on behalf of the Consulate to the honorees. SPICE was honored with his presence. 

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Following the welcoming and opening comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi gave overviews of their courses and introduced the student honorees. The student honorees made articulate presentations based on their research papers and demonstrated so much poise while answering questions from the audience. Each honoree received a plaque from their instructor. Photo above courtesy of Jonas Edman. 

The RSP will enter its 24th year in 2027, and Stanford e-Japan is about to enter its 12th year. Many of the alumni are studying U.S.–Japan relations, engaged in various fields related to U.S.–Japan relations, and continue to give back to both programs by being guest speakers and mentors to the new students. This year, honoree Amy Yanai, who will be a freshman at Yale, has agreed to meet with the Fall 2026 Stanford e-Japan cohort.

Following the formal event, the student honorees—most having just met each other in person for the first time—had the chance to enjoy lunch and a Stanford campus tour together. It is the hope of Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi that the Japanese and American student honorees will continue to stay in touch not only during their high school and college years but also beyond, into their careers. 

SPICE is grateful to President Tadashi Yanai for his generous support of Stanford e-Japan and to the staff of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation for their regular correspondence and encouragement. SPICE is thankful to the Japan Fund committee at FSI for its generous support of the Reischauer Scholars Program. These courses and the ceremony would not be possible without them. SPICE is also grateful to SPICE Event Coordinator Sabrina Ishimatsu for meticulously planning and implementing the event.

SPICE is currently accepting applications for the 2027 Reischauer Scholars Program. The deadline to apply is October 23, 2026.

The application for the 2027 spring session of Stanford e-Japan will open on November 15, 2026.

SPICE also offers online courses to U.S. high school students on China (China Scholars Program), Korea (Sejong Korea Scholars Program), and entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship U.S.), to Chinese high school students on the United States (Stanford e-China), and to Japanese high school students on entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan).

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In 2016, SPICE launched its first regional online program in Japan. Today, SPICE works with local partners across Japan to offer programs that engage students in the study of U.S. society and culture, U.S.–Japan relations, and global issues. Students develop their perspectives through discussion and research and present their work at the end of their courses.

In August 2026, SPICE held four award ceremonies at Stanford University. Eighteen honorees from eight regional programs and one school-based program were recognized for their accomplishments during the 2025–26 year, including the quality of their final research projects. SPICE Director Dr. Gary Mukai welcomed guests and delivered closing remarks at each event.

The students’ visits extended beyond the ceremonies. Depending on their itineraries, groups explored San Francisco, toured Stanford’s campus, visited technology companies such as Google, Apple, and Sony, and spent time at the Computer History Museum. These experiences gave students opportunities to learn about the Bay Area and connect what they had studied online with places and people they encountered in person.

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The first ceremony was held on August 6, 2026, for students from Stanford e-Kobe and Stanford e-Minamata. Opening remarks were delivered by Consul Asami Chikae, Consul for Science, Technology and Education at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Stanford e-Kobe instructor Alison Harsch and Stanford e-Minamata instructor Natalie Montecino also offered opening comments before the honorees gave their presentations. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kobe

• Sakura Oe; Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
• Shotaro Take; Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
   

Stanford e-Minamata

• Rento Hiraishi; Minamata High School
• Asuka Umekawa; Minamata High School
   

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In the second ceremony, on August 10, 2026, top students from Stanford e-Fukuoka and Stanford e-Oita were honored. Aya Nakajima, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, delivered opening remarks. Kasumi Yamashita, instructor of both Stanford e-Fukuoka and Stanford e-Oita, also offered opening comments before the honorees presented their work. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Fukuoka

• Konoha Inoyusu; Fukuoka Daichi High School
• Haruki Kenyon; Kurume High School
   

Stanford e-Oita

• Mao Hieida; Nakatsu Minami High School
• Taichi Morikawa; Takada High School
   

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During the third ceremony, on August 18, 2026, students from Stanford e-Hiroshima and Stanford e-Yamaguchi were recognized. Consul Mayu Hagiwara, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, offered opening remarks. Stanford e-Hiroshima instructor Rylan Sekiguchi and Stanford e-Yamaguchi instructor Jonas Edman also gave opening comments before the honorees presented their research. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Hiroshima

• Konatsu Haga; Fukuyama Akenohoshi Girls’ High School
• Momoka Nagayama; Hiroshima Inokuchi High School
   

Stanford e-Yamaguchi

• Misaki Kobayashi; Keishin Senior High School
• Hiroi Tomokawa; Iwakuni Senior High School
   

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The fourth ceremony was held on August 20, 2026, for honorees from Stanford e-Kagoshima City, Stanford e-Kawasaki, and Stanford e-Tottori. Daniel Busto, Coordinator of Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, delivered opening remarks. Stanford e-Kagoshima City instructor Amy Cheng, Stanford e-Kawasaki instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha, and Stanford e-Tottori instructor Jonas Edman also offered opening comments before the honorees gave their presentations. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kagoshima City

• Nayuta Nei; Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
• Shiori Nishizono; Kagoshima Girls’ High School
   

Stanford e-Kawasaki

• Rio Hojo; Tachibana High School
• Mio Suzuki; Kawasaki High School
   

Stanford e-Tottori

• Una Ishikawa; National Institute of Technology, Yonago College
• Asumi Nishimura; Tottori Nishi High School
   

SPICE congratulates all 18 honorees and thanks the instructors, local partners, and guests who supported and celebrated the students. The ceremonies gave the students an opportunity to share their research with an audience at Stanford and to mark the conclusion of their year of study.

Importantly, SPICE is grateful to the school, municipal, and prefectural representatives who accompanied the students to Stanford. They are Yuki Uchimura (Fukuoka); Noriyo Hayashi (Hiroshima); Takahiko Uchitani and Nanami Nomaguchi (Kagoshima); Fuka Okutani and Tracey Freyre (Kobe); Yasunori Takaki, Masha Boyko, and Kayo Fuchigami (Minamata); Keiichi Takakura and Yuki Matsumoto (Oita); Satoru Hamahashi (Tottori); and Akinobu Tomonari (Yamaguchi).

SPICE also offers online courses to U.S. high school students on Japan (Reischauer Scholars Program), China (China Scholars Program), Korea (Sejong Korea Scholars Program), and entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship U.S.), to Chinese high school students on the United States (Stanford e-China), and to Japanese high school students on U.S. society and U.S.–Japan relations (Stanford e-Japan) and entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan).

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The following is a guest article written by Dr. Jacob Vazquez, Interim Associate Dean of Instruction and Agribusiness Faculty member, and past Fellow of Stanford’s EPIC Community College Faculty Fellowship, one of several teacher professional development programs offered by SPICE.

My interest in agriculture started in high school, through my involvement in Future Farmers of America (FFA). That interest deepened later on, working in agriculture finance at Farm Credit, and eventually leading to my current role teaching Agribusiness at Butte College, where I get to share my passion for agriculture and agribusiness with our students.

My involvement with SPICE began through Stanford Global Studies’ EPIC Community College Leadership Program, where fellows were charged with developing global curricula for use in community college classrooms. Butte College is a rural community college in Northern California, where rice is one of the region’s most valuable commodities. I teach Agricultural Economics, a general education class taken by both agriculture majors and non-majors, and I wanted the curriculum modules to connect the agriculture we grow here in Northern California to something produced elsewhere in the world. 

I built the modules around rice, comparing the industry in Butte and Glenn Counties to the industry in Japan. The two differ significantly in scale and farming method, but the crop carries economic and cultural weight in both places. With SPICE’s support and connections with the U.S. Consulate Fukuoka, part of the modules included Zoom interviews that connected students with Japanese rice farmers, including the owner of an organic farm in Saga Prefecture and a former musician who now farms rice and is developing a rice-based ice cream.

Those connections, particularly with the U.S. Consulate Fukuoka, led me to the Fulbright Specialist Program in collaboration with Kyushu Sangyo University (KSU), where SPICE has an existing program through their Stanford e-KyuSan-U Program. This past June, I traveled to Fukuoka as a Fulbright Specialist for a project titled “Seeds of Change: Empowering Community with Food Education.” Over two weeks, the itinerary included close collaboration with KSU students, faculty, and administration, a tour of a rice cracker manufacturing facility, and a public lecture on agribusiness and sustainability, among other events.

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One experience drew on a different part of my background: running a flag football clinic at KSU for local children, drawing on my own experience playing football at Fresno State and coaching at Butte College.

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One of the most meaningful moments of the visit was touring Meisho Farm in person, the same farm my students and I had previously engaged with only virtually. Seeing the operation firsthand with and reconnecting with its owner, Akira Shojima, gave me a much fuller picture of how Kyushu’s organic farming model works, something I never thought I would be able to experience when I started the fellowship. 

I also had the chance to visit U.S. Consulate Fukuoka with Principal Officer Virsa Perkins and KSU Professor Kaori Miura; photo below. What began as a simple curriculum project grew into an incredible experience. I feel so grateful to SPICE, the Fulbright Program, and Kyushu Sangyo University for these opportunities, and I look forward to future collaborations connecting agriculture on both sides of the Pacific.

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This article was written by Dr. Susan J. Duggan, initial Coordinator of the Western Europe Project at SPICE (1988–1990). In its early years, SPICE comprised several separate area-focused projects. This is the eighth of several articles—focusing on the 50-year history of SPICE—that will be posted this year.

Happy 50th Birthday to SPICE! I am honored to be part of this special group of multi-talented, internationally experienced educators and innovators. 

I came to SPICE in a roundabout way. After studying in France and Italy during my undergraduate years at Stanford, I did my first master’s degree in Political Science (international relations) at Université Laval in Québec in 1980. My thesis was on the political role of educational exchange in Québec’s desire for sovereignty (from Canada). Upon returning to my home in California, I landed a job as the Project Associate at the “Bay Area and the World Project” hosted at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco and sponsored, among others, by Stanford University. In that small, windowless office Dr. Ron Herring discovered me researching the connections between the Bay Area and other countries; and promoting those connections through our publications and conferences with businesses, local governments and educators. He convinced me to come back to Stanford to get my Ph.D. That was the beginning of my SPICE connection, though it would be another six years before I officially worked for SPICE.

Initially, I pursued a second master’s degree in Education at Stanford. That is when I met Dr. David Grossman at the Center for Research in International Studies (CRIS), the predecessor to the Institute for International Studies (IIS), now FSI. I have fond memories of working on a research project looking at young U.S. students’ perceptions of Germany and Germans. David was there in Berlin when I began my field work for my dissertation in 1985. David and Ron encouraged me throughout my pre-SPICE time to explore the role of educational exchange, not only for students, but also for teachers.

Ron recruited me to be the initial coordinator of the newly founded Western Europe Project in 1988. I had just finished my dissertation at the Graduate School of Education at Stanford on the political role of educational exchange between Germany and the United States and was eager to work with the SPICE folks on curriculum development for K–12 students and teachers. Dr. Judy Wooster had just assumed the leadership of SPICE. I had a lot of fun working with this bright group of creative folks! 

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In the summer of 1989, Ron asked me to help coordinate and run a study tour of American teachers to Western Europe. SPICE and the California International Studies Project (CISP) sponsored the tour. I had experience having co-founded the “Berlin-California Teachers Exchange” in 1985 with friend, colleague, and teacher Flex Ninow from the Internationale Lehrerkonferenz Berlin. In our 1989 tour (photo above courtesy of Sue Duggan), 12 brave teachers spent 24 intense days in Berlin; southern Germany (Weinstadt); Strasbourg; and on to Zeeland, Amsterdam and North Holland in the Netherlands. 

The participants focused on two main themes for eventual curriculum development: “Communities, Regions, Nations” and “Conflict and Cooperation.” Mind you, this was the summer of 1989. The study tour focused on Western Europe and what would evolve, eventually, into the European Union. They heard, of course, analyses and speculation about Eastern Europe and Soviet aspirations. In retrospect, what an honor it was to hear from so many European teachers, politicians, political scientists, and regular folk about their perceptions of a 1989 version of Western Europe. No one among our many European interlocutors imagined that the Berlin Wall would fall just a few months after our departure creating a huge change in the political, economic and educational landscape of all of Europe.

In the early months of 1990, I felt compelled to return to Berlin to gather fresh insights about the Fall of the Berlin Wall (which had happened on November 9, 1989, just three and a half months after our return from the SPICE Study Tour). I imagined how hearing from real Germans about an actual historical event could inspire American high school students studying German. I pitched the idea to Judy Wooster along the lines of “Where were you when Kennedy was killed?” I wanted to hear from a variety of Berliners—from the East and West—about where they were when they heard the news of the Berlin Wall being taken down. Remember, there were two parallel walls that bisected the city of Berlin. For some, they only knew the existence of a divided city. For others, they had strong memories of the Wall being built, starting on August 13, 1961. I bought a Sony Walkman and a ticket to Berlin. I was able to line up interviews with various people, from politicians, to teachers, to a pub owner, and even a Berliner in her 60s who not only remembered when the Wall was built, but what happened during the Berlin Airlift (1948–1949) in her hometown. I came back to SPICE with precious recordings of remembrances and personal connections to one of the biggest changes in the latter part of 20th century Europe. 

Possibly because of the Study Tour and the inspiration to record the voices of Berlin after the Wall fell, I felt drawn to return to Germany. The Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung (Foundation) created a new program in 1990 called the “Chancellor Scholars” bringing young, professional Americans to Germany to witness the unfolding of a new version of Europe. I was recruited to be in the initial group. I could not turn that down. With reluctance mixed with anticipation to experience a “whole” Germany, I left my position at SPICE in September 1990. I was pleased to leave the Berlin Perspectives curriculum unit in the capable hands of my successor, and even more pleased that that unit still exists today. 

I have always considered myself lucky to have been part of the developing times of CRIS, IIS, and SPICE. I enjoyed smart, fun, creative colleagues who really cared about the world, education, and each other. Dr. Steve Thorpe, formerly the coordinator of the SPICE China Project, and I finished our PhDs around the same time and have stayed in touch all these years. Dr. Ron Herring is “Uncle Ron” to my daughter, Coral. Gosh, even the SPICE folks survived the Loma Prieta Quake together in the basement of Littlefield Center at 5:04 p.m. on October 17, 1989! 

Photo above: Governor Neil Abercrombie of Hawai‘i, Dr. Susan Duggan, Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Language Roadmap Initiative, and Senator Daniel Akaka, 2013 | courtesy of Susan Duggan.

I have enjoyed a career mostly in international education. After SPICE and the Humboldt year, I started an international study abroad program in formerly Eastern European countries. I became the Senior Research and Policy Consultant to the National Security Education Program and ended up on the founding team that created the Boren Scholarship Program. Later, as Senior Strategist, I helped shaped The Language Flagship, now comprised of 14 U.S. universities with language and cultural studies in South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Morocco, and Kazakhstan. Toward the end of my career, I had the great pleasure of re-connecting with the K–12 sector as I created and ran many state Language Summits to create Language Roadmaps for those states. At times I have branched into the areas of high tech and agricultural tech innovations, but always with an international connection. I feel my early years at SPICE prepared me well for working with a variety of people in education, business, and government, all with creativity and integrity. 

With gratitude, I wish SPICE—and all those involved with this wonderful program—a very happy 50th anniversary!

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Looking back at the long list of pages on Canvas, I feel so accomplished about finishing the Design Thinking into Action: Teen Wellbeing course. From the first “Introduce Yourself” video we filmed, edited, and shared with our classmates, to the final prototype presentation, every module showed me a different way to think about teen wellbeing and how our skills could create real, meaningful change. 

What made this course so special was that learning wasn’t restricted to the weekly virtual classes. The resource pages for each module on Canvas created a great balance between theory and practice, input and output. We learned about topics like the teenage brain, managing academic stress, creating a body map, and purpose learning. We didn’t just write essays as in a traditional class. We created prototypes with step-by-step exercises leading up to our final project. My favorite part was the design thinking process: empathizing with a real person, defining a need statement, brainstorming wildly, prototyping, and iterating based on feedback. The prototype I created, called the “Dream Door,” was designed for a friend who feels lonely and disconnected from peers and frustrated by surface-level conversations. The “Dream Door” is a small box with a bell and color-coded prompts to help her start deeper conversations with classmates. While creating the prop for my friend, I also learned to solve my own wellbeing challenges through the same process. When I gifted the finished product to my friend, her excited reaction felt better than any grade. That’s the magic of this design thinking course. When we truly empathize with someone, understand their needs, and listen to their feedback, we can see the physical results our ideas have on them. 

I participated in this course during a particularly challenging time. When the course began, I was overseas for an exchange program. Then I returned to China to prepare for AP exams, which felt like an ever-present gray cloud looming over me. Instead of adding to my stress, this course helped me navigate it more clearly. One of my favorite classes with a Stanford scholar, Dr. Cari Costanzo, combined anthropology with our connection to our bodies through an exercise called body mapping, a creative and reflective piece of art that pushed us to reflect on important aspects of our lives. When I added drawings of the AP exams in the thought bubble above my head on my body map, I realized they were my current, main priority. In this course I also learned that the concept of “failing forward” and pacing ourselves aren’t just nice ideas; they are ways to sustain our busy lives. After the Stanford e-China course ended, as I was taking an exam back in my regular school in China, I wrote about the concept of “failing forward” in my essay. I literally smiled in the middle of the exam because I was so excited to apply what I’d learned. 

I also loved the small, surprising moments, like drawing my body map and realizing I could create a stickman with my arms and legs because I’ve been drawing them since primary school. I also loved writing a reflection of my views on life and education and noticing that my love for roller coasters and seeking thrilling experiences actually drives how I approach learning. 

I left this course with a toolbox I’ll use for life, for studying, for friendships, for future projects. I’m leaving with gratitude. Thank you to Stefanie Orrick, Carey Moncaster, and the whole Stanford e-China team for creating a space where teenagers can be creative, vulnerable, and ambitious all at once. 

Innovating Wellbeing: Human-Centered Design in the AI Era (formerly Design Thinking into Action: Teen Wellbeing) is one of several online courses offered by SPICE.

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Three of SPICE’s online programs for high school students in the United States are now accepting applications for the spring 2027 academic term. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) and Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) are open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States. The U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions brings together students in grades 10–12 from the United States and China for collaborative exploration of climate challenges and potential solutions.

Applications for all three programs are available at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/. Application deadlines are as follows:

• Reischauer Scholars Program: October 23, 2026
• Sejong Korea Scholars Program: November 1, 2026
• U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions: November 1, 2026

Students may apply to more than one program and indicate their preferences as part of the application process. Students accepted to multiple programs for spring 2027 will be invited to enroll in the program they ranked highest.

Brief descriptions of the three courses are provided below. Additional information, including course-specific details, is available on each program’s individual webpage.

The Reischauer Scholars Program offers an intensive exploration of Japan and the U.S.–Japan relationship. Through online discussions with scholars, diplomats, and other guest speakers, students gain insight into Japanese culture and society as well as the historical and contemporary dimensions of U.S.–Japan relations. The 2027 RSP course will run from February 1 through June 20. The application deadline is October 23, 2026.

The Sejong Korea Scholars Program provides an academically rigorous introduction to Korean history and U.S.–Korea relations. Students engage with leading scholars and experts through online lectures and participate in discussions with their peers. The 2027 SKSP course will take place from February 7 to May 29. The application deadline is November 1, 2026.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions centers on climate-related challenges, the history and future potential of U.S.–China cooperation, and broader approaches to international collaboration. Participating high school students from the United States and China will have opportunities to learn about one another’s communities and environments while working collaboratively on projects related to local, bilateral, and global climate action. The program is a joint initiative of SPICE’s Stanford e-China program (for students in China) and China Scholars Program (for students in the United States). The spring 2027 Co-Lab course will run from February 26 through May 22. The application deadline for U.S. students is November 1, 2026.

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To learn more about SPICE’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

The National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA), funded by the Freeman Foundation, is a multi-year initiative to encourage and facilitate teaching and learning about East Asia in elementary and secondary schools nationwide. NCTA is a premier provider of professional development on East Asia.

From July 6 to 9, 2026, SPICE Teacher Professional Development Manager Naomi Funahashi and Event Coordinator Sabrina Ishimatsu hosted a summer institute for middle school teachers, most of whom are teaching in California. Fifteen teachers enrolled. SPICE was so grateful for their active participation and for sharing their reflections and insights on subject matter content and pedagogical content knowledge.

The first three days featured subject matter content lectures on topics commonly taught at the middle school level in California. These included lectures on “Chinese Dynasties” and “The Silk Road” by Dr. Clayton Dube, Senior Fellow at the USC U.S.-China Institute, and “Tokugawa Japan” by Professor Ethan Segal, Michigan State University, who received his PhD from Stanford. SPICE is a partner site of the USC U.S.-China Institute, one of seven National Coordinating Sites of the NCTA. Dr. Clayton Dube is Director Emeritus of the USC U.S.-China Institute, and SPICE now works with Glenn Osaki, Director, and Crystal Hsia, Program Specialist, of the USC U.S.-China Institute. 

I have been very inspired by all the interactive meetings. Each truly serves as a model for creating engaging lessons for our students… There were so many interesting and relevant topics such as the different dynasties, the role and expectations of women, and cultural exchange!—Elena Giron, Elizabeth Learning Center, Cudahy, California

As a K–8 Mandarin teacher, I’m always looking for meaningful ways to help my students understand how Chinese language and culture have influenced other parts of East Asia. After today’s session, I began thinking about how I might incorporate elements of Japanese history, culture, or art into my Mandarin curriculum while still keeping Chinese language learning at the center.—Shu-Chen Lin, San Domenico School, San Anselmo, California

The first three days also featured demonstrations of SPICE curricula that focused on pedagogical content knowledge. These included demonstrations of Japanese Art in the Edo Period, by Karen Tiegel, Middle School Division Head at The Nueva School and a former SPICE Curriculum Writer; Along the Silk Road, by Rylan Sekiguchi, SPICE Manager of Curriculum and Instructional Design; and Angel Island, Chinese American Voices, the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project, and What Does It Mean to Be an American?, by Jonas Edman, SPICE Instructional Designer. 

I will definitely incorporate the SPICE Silk Road curriculum into my teaching. I especially appreciate the interactive nature of its online resources, which make the content more engaging and accessible for students. The curriculum provides meaningful opportunities for students to actively explore the history, geography, and cultural exchanges of the Silk Road rather than simply learning through lectures or textbooks. I can see these resources helping my middle school students build a deeper understanding of the topic while keeping them motivated and engaged.—Jenn Wu, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, San Francisco, California

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On day four, three authors of young adult novels (from top to bottom in image above)—Van Hoang, Judy I. Lin, Waka T. Brown—were featured on a panel titled, “Incorporating Asian American Literature and Voices into Middle School Curricula.” Including the Asian American experience in SPICE/NCTA seminars has been requested by many teachers and also supports the NCTA as it “strives to develop global citizenship based on the principles of cross-cultural understanding, equality, and justice.” 

I loved being part of the summer cohort with SPICE… I was really inspired by the authors’ panel, as I had never heard from authors, especially ones who are so relatable. I love how they intertwine their identity and history and can create such cool stories.—Morgan Johnson, Kenmore School, Arlington, Virginia

Following the institute, each teacher will develop and share an original lesson plan inspired by the knowledge and resources gained throughout the seminar. Some of the themes and concepts that were shared by the lecturers, authors, teachers, and SPICE staff included diaspora, cultural relevance, the master narrative of history, diverse perspectives, and empathy; and SPICE hopes that one or more of these themes will be incorporated into their lessons. 

SPICE is especially grateful to President Graeme Freeman and Vice President Shereen Goto of the Freeman Foundation for their support of the NCTA since 1998 and to Crystal Hsia of the USC U.S.-China Institute for her unwavering support and collaboration. 

The East Asia Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers is one of several free teacher professional development opportunities offered by SPICE.

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The sixth year of the Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaiʻi (“Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i”) was launched in March 2026 and included five online seminars that featured Stanford-affiliated scholars—Professor Ethan Segal, PhD candidate Zoë Gioja, Professor Andrew Walder, Ambassador Scot Marciel, and Dr. Thomas Fingar—and culminated in a three-day in-person summer institute that took place from July 22 to 24, 2026 at the Hawai‘i Imin International Conference Center at the East-West Center. This year’s cohort included 19 public, charter, and private high school teachers—Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellows—from across Hawai‘i. Below are the names of the 2026 Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellows: 

Alice De Pina, Āliamanu Middle School (O‘ahu)
Arlene Nishimura, Farrington High School (O‘ahu)
David Brooks, Ka‘ū High and Pāhala Elementary School (Hawai‘i)
Ishael Shaw-De Mello, Waiākea High School (Hawai‘i)
Jacqueline Muir, Kīhei Charter School (Maui)
John Ziegler, Olomana High & Intermediate School (O‘ahu)
Kevin Quinn, Maui High School (Maui)
Kristen Gallander, Kīhei Charter School (Maui)
Lauren Kido, Kawānanakoa Middle School (O‘ahu)
Lulu Lulu, Maryknoll School (O‘ahu)
Malina Folsom Perez, Hawai‘i Technology Academy (Kaua‘i)
Maria Glenda Ventura, King Kekaulike High School (Maui)
Maryjane Lanzon, Konawaena High School (Hawai‘i)
Patricia Tupinio, Leilehua High School (O‘ahu)
Peng Ongart Ratchaworapong, St. Andrew’s Schools (O‘ahu)
Quiana Lemmon, Hilo High School (Hawai‘i)
Vanessa Fowler, Kaimukī Christian School (O‘ahu)
Yue Yin, Henry J. Kaiser High School (O‘ahu)
Yuka Chubachi, Matsudo Kokusai High School, Japan (O‘ahu)

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Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i Manager Rylan Sekiguchi invited speakers from Hawai‘i as well as curriculum writers and facilitators of teacher professional development to offer presentations over the course of the institute. The institute began with inspiring welcoming remarks from President Celeste A. Connors of the East-West Center. SPICE has been collaborating with the East-West Center since 1988, and President Connors noted the East-West Center’s continued support of teachers. The other speakers are listed below as well as the titles of their presentations. The presentation topics were selected to support Hawai‘i State Department of Education standards such as “U.S. History and Government Theme 1 (Immigration and Migration, 1880–1930), Anchor Standard 16 (Global Interconnections and Changing Spatial Patterns): Cause and Effects of Migration.”

• Michelle Levine Aquino, Teacher, W.R. Farrington High School, “Teaching Filipino Identity, History, and Resistance” 
• Shana Brown, Associate Professor, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, “China in the World Today”
• Douglas D. L. Chong, President of the Hawai‘i Chinese History Center, “The Chinese Diaspora in Hawai‘i”
• Naomi Funahashi, Manager, Reischauer Scholars Program and Teacher Professional Development, SPICE, “What Does It Mean to Be an American: Teaching Civil Rights and Japanese American Incarceration”
• Merle Grybowski, Director of Teacher Training, Pacific and Asian Affairs Council, “East-West Center Walkabout” 
• C. Harrison Kim, Associate Professor, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, “Korea in the 20th Century: Colonialism, North/South Division, Futures”
• Tanya Lee, Instructor, SPICE, “Approaches to Teaching Korean and Chinese American History: Dynamics of Diversity and Diaspora”
• Christine Ogura, Superintendent of Honouliuli National Historic Site, National Park Service, “Honouliuli: A History Awakened”
• Jonathan Okamura, Professor Emeritus, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, “East Asians and Southeast Asians in Unequal Hawai‘i”
• Rylan Sekiguchi, Manager of Curriculum and Instructional Design, SPICE, “Divided Memories”
• Jake Shimabukuro, Musician

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A highlight of the institute was a talk and performance by musician Jake Shimabukuro, who has been very supportive of SPICE’s work in the United States and also in Japan. Jake underscored the importance of music in the transmission of culture. Many teachers commented on how they felt that Jake’s music and talk were so culturally relevant.

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Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i is made possible by a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation. President Graeme Freeman spoke during the institute about the Freeman Foundation’s mission of helping to enhance the teaching of East Asia through programs such as the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia and Stanford SEAS Hawaiʻi and expressed his gratitude to the Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellows for the tremendous impact their learning has on their students. Graeme was joined by Freeman Foundation Vice President Shereen Goto. 

In the month following the institute’s conclusion, each Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellow created an original lesson plan that incorporates content that was introduced during Stanford SEAS Hawaiʻi.
Sekiguchi, Sabrina Ishimatsu, SPICE Event Coordinator, who organized the institute, and I are grateful to the East-West Center—and especially to President Celeste A. Connors—for agreeing to co-host the Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i summer institute again.

Most importantly, everyone at SPICE is truly grateful to President Graeme Freeman, Vice President Shereen Goto, and the Freeman Foundation for its generosity in making Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i possible and providing us the opportunity to engage Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellows with scholars from Stanford University, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and beyond. 

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