Every Tuesday is whole-school assembly day.
Today, because parts of the ground were muddy from yesterday’s rain and the PE department was drawing lines for the upcoming sports festival, the assembly was held via the school broadcast.
The principal offered words of appreciation to the student council candidates and also spoke about autumn eggplants.
With midterm exams the day after tomorrow, a message of encouragement was given: do your best.
Whole-School Assembly: Principal’s Address (30 September 2025)
Good morning, everyone.
Every morning, the students running for the Student Council have been standing at the school gate, greeting us with energy and smiles.
They are students who have stepped forward with the desire to make Hokuryō Junior High an even better place.
Please support them wholeheartedly.
Now, yesterday morning we had heavy rain with thunder, yet little by little the season is beginning to feel like autumn.
Let me share a short story about autumn.
When it comes to autumn, I must admit—I love eggplants.
Since eggplants are in season now, I often buy them on my way home.
The other day, I found a bundle of slightly blemished eggplants being sold very cheaply.
I thought, “Well, a few scratches won’t hurt,” so I bought them, cooked them, and to my surprise… they tasted even better than the perfectly shaped ones.
Curious, I looked it up.
It turns out that when an eggplant is damaged, it tries to repair itself, drawing water and nutrients toward the injured area.
As a result, the aroma and flavour can actually become stronger.
“In other words, even if the surface is scarred, the strength inside may have grown.”
That explanation truly resonated with me.
And I thought, isn’t this also true for people?
At times, we fail, we feel down, or we bear small “scars” in our hearts.
But through such experiences, we activate our inner power to heal.
We may turn frustration into energy, or rise again with the help of those around us.
Through this, the richness inside us—kindness, perseverance, empathy—deepens.
That is why we must not judge others solely by appearances or by a single outcome.
Instead, I hope Hokuryō Junior High will be a place where we look a little deeper into ourselves and into our friends, and truly connect with one another.
Finally, the midterm exams are coming this week.
Take care of your health, study with a clear plan, and face every question carefully until the very end.
I am cheering you on. That is all.
