Cranford student earns national recognition in Nengajo Design Contest:
For over 15 years students in Cranford’s Japanese classes have participated in a creative project
to design nengajo, traditional New Year's greeting cards exchanged in Japan to wish for a
prosperous and auspicious year. This year, Hillside Avenue School sixth grader, Elina Pan,
placed third nationally out of 597 participants in the American Association of Teachers of
Japanese (AATJ) Nengajo Design Contest.
Elina’s outstanding "Year of the Snake"; design earned her an award in the Computer-Generated
category, marking a historic achievement as the first time anyone from Cranford has won an
award in this prestigious competition. Her work, along with other student entries, is proudly
displayed on the bulletin board in the middle school wing.
“This competition supports students' use of and passion for the Japanese language and culture,”
said Japanese Teacher Catherine Fisco. “Rather than just learning about it, they are fully
immersed in the significance and experience of nengajo.”
“This contest is just one of many cultural activities that are incorporated throughout the year to
help students connect with Japanese language and traditions,” Fisco continued. “Hands-on
experiences make learning more immersive and help reinforce language skills in a natural way.
It’s rewarding to see students develop not just language skills, but also a deeper appreciation for
Japanese culture through these activities.”