Dear Editor,
In the article “How rugby helped bring this tsunami-hit Japanese City back to life.” I agree to the author’s point of view, due to the amazing fact that a sport can distract people from the sadness of the earthquake that had effected all the lives in a Japanese city.
On the day March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck Japan and alongside with the tsunami that had caused by the earthquake. The earthquake killed nearly 20,000 people. It was the largest earthquake that has ever happened for the last 10 years in Japan.
Few years after the earthquake, people started to rebuild and focusing on how to prevent and reduce the causality of the citizens of Japan. But apart from all the positive news, people need some sort of relaxation method to give their mind a break.
While people of Japan were rebuilding, a city in Japan chose to prioritize the constructruction a rugby stadium. The reason why the city prioritized to build a rugby stadium was caused by the earthquake, because during the earthquake, everyone has a job to do to survive. “Just like in rugby, everyone has to do their jobs, in order to win,” said the captain of Kamaishi Seawaves Football Club, Yuta Nakano.
Alston C.
Editor’s note: Writing 11 students of Walnut Grove Secondary teacher Vince Rahn were tasked with opinion writing, finding it’s more difficult to put down reasoned arguments than simply tossing out cliches or venting.
“They were able to choose any current relevant topic,” Rahn explained.
Students were graded based on how they presented their information and arguments. The assignment also included having to hand write the pieces and send them to the Langley Advance Times via snail mail, an experience fewer and fewer young people have nowadays. It mirrors an assignment he gave to his students many years ago, before the internet and social media.
“Yes, I have done this quite some time ago, but this time I insisted that they go ‘old school’ and put into an envelope with a cover letter, etc.,” he explained.
Please keep any feedback respectful and age appropriate.