Education Department Employee Wins Fellowship to Travel, Study in Japan

COLUMBIA, SC – August 3, 2009 – The South Carolina Department of Education’s social studies coordinator recently returned from a trip to Japan made possible when he won a 2009 Keizai Koho Center Educator Fellowship. 

Lewis Huffman and nine other American educators had the opportunity to learn about the Japanese economy and culture as well as participate in roundtable discussions with educators and business leaders during their 10-day stay.  Highlights of the fellowship included visits to Japanese schools, major companies and industrial facilities. In addition, excursions allowed the fellows to learn about Japanese culture and society.

Huffman said his experiences in Japan would help him in developing lesson plans related to South Carolina’s social studies standards and in making presentations to social studies groups across the state.

The Keizai Koho Center is an independent, nonprofit organization affiliated with Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation).  Its mission is to promote a better understanding of Japan’s economy and society, both in Japan and abroad through a variety of publications, programs, fellowships and exchanges.