2019年04月03日

　The badminton club at Futaba Future High School in Fukushima Prefecture is moving its base to its main campus in Hirono in April, after having evacuated to Inawashiro High School in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
　The club used to be at Tomioka High School, which was closed following the quake and the disaster caused from accidents at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
　Inawashiro High School accepted the Tomioka High School badminton club as a satellite school club in May 2011, and also provided the students with schoolrooms at Futuba Future High School's Inawashiro branch.
　Futaba Future High School was established in April 2015 with the aim of fostering human resources for the reconstruction of the Futaba district, which was seriously damaged in the disaster.

　猪苗代高を活動拠点としてきたふたば未来学園高バドミントン部は、新年度、広野町の本校に合流する。猪苗代高は、２０１１（平成２３）年５月以降、東日本大震災と東京電力福島第１原発事故のため避難してきた富岡高バドミントン部をサテライト校として受け入れ、部を受け継いだふたば未来高の猪苗代校舎としても学びやの提供を続けてきた。ふたば未来学園高は、２０１５年４月、東日本大震災で被災した双葉郡の人材を育成するために設立された。

　The badminton club is one of the most prestigious high school programs in the country. It produced many famous badminton players while at Tomioka High School, including Kento Momota, who has had success on the world stage.

　同部は、前身の富岡高時代に世界で活躍するバドミントンの桃田賢斗（ＮＴＴ東日本）らを輩出し、バドミントンの強豪として知られる。

　A closing ceremony for Futuba Future High School's Inawashiro branch was held at Inawashiro High School on March 15. Prior to the ceremony, students of the branch school expressed their gratitude toward Inawashiro High School students. Students of both high schools bade farewell to each other, while remembering the days they spent together.

　１５日には、ふたば未来高猪苗代校舎の閉校式、猪苗代高生徒への「感謝を伝える会」が猪苗代高で開かれ、生徒たちが共に過ごした思い出を振り返り、別れを惜しんだ。

　At the closing ceremony, former Tomioka High School principal Masahiro Yamazaki recalled the days during which the Futaba district's education plan was about to collapse due to the disaster, but he did not give up and finally found Inawashiro as a place that might accommodate students from the area.
　"The classroom allocated at Inawashiro High School made me feel dreams looking at the whole world. And [the students'] achievements since then became an absolute hope for Futaba," he said.
　San Goto, a second-year student and captain of the boys badminton club, expressed his determination while shedding tears, saying: "I will never forget my debt of gratitude toward the three towns of Tomioka, Inawashiro and Hirono, as they really supported us. Although it is small repayment for their kindness, we will do our best at the national championships and inter-high school competitions, so that both the male and female teams will win team champion titles."

　閉校式では、元富岡高校長の山崎雅弘さんが震災で双葉地区教育構想が頓挫しかけ、諦めず受け入れ先を探して猪苗代町にたどり着いた当時を振り返り「猪苗代高内にできた教室には、世界を目指す夢を感じた。そしてそこからの活躍は、まさに双葉郡の希望になった」と語った。男子の後藤サン主将（２年）は涙を流しながら「支えになった富岡、猪苗代、広野の三つの町に感謝を忘れない。受けた恩を少しでも返せるように頑張って、全国選抜大会やインターハイで男女団体優勝したい」と決意表明した。

　A memorial plate was set up on Inawashiro High School's premises to indicate that both Tomioka High School and Futaba Future High School students spent their school days together.
　Students reminisced while looking at the plate on which the eight-year history is carved. One of them said, "This is like a legend, isn't it?"

　猪苗代高の校庭前には、富岡高とふたば未来高が猪苗代高で学校生活を送ったことを示す銘板が設置された。８年間の軌跡が刻まれた銘板に、生徒たちは「伝説みたいだね」などと語り合っていた。

　During the gathering for Futaba Future High School students to express their gratitude to Inawashiro High School students, about 100 first- and second-year students and teachers from the two schools participated.
　Nanami Someya, a Futaba Future High School second-year student and captain of the girls badminton club said: "I have come to love the town of Inawashiro so much. Many Inawashiro High School students cheered me up, and I was encouraged by their words."
　Genki Watanabe, a second-year student and president of Inawashiro High School's student council, recalled memories of activities they did together and told the departing students: "Never forget the time you spent at Inawashiro. I want you to keep on shining at Hirono. We shall continue to encourage you from Inawashiro."

　ふたば未来学園高の生徒たちが猪苗代高の仲間に向けて開いた「感謝を伝える会」には両校の１、２年生や教員約１００人が集まった。ふたば未来高バドミントン部の染谷菜々美女子主将（２年）は「猪苗代町が大好きになった。猪苗代高のみんなに声を掛けてもらい、元気をもらっていた」と感謝を語った。猪苗代高の渡部元気生徒会長（２年）も行事の思い出を振り返り「猪苗代で過ごしたことを忘れないで、広野に行っても輝いてほしい。私たちは猪苗代から、ずっと応援している」とエールを送った。

　Futaba Future High School presented to Inawashiro High School a clock to tell the time in the school building, and a photo panel of the badminton club members to Inawashiro High School as souvenirs.
　Inawashiro High School gave in return a sapling of a rowan tree, a species symbolizing the town. Ayane Ito, a second-year student representing the school, said, "We would be so happy if you would remember us when you see [the sapling's] autumn leaves."

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　ふたば未来高から猪苗代高に、記念品として校舎で新たな時を刻む時計と部員の写真パネルが贈られた。猪苗代高は町の木ナナカマドの苗木を贈り、代表の伊藤綾音さん（２年）が「秋の紅葉を見たら、私たちのことを思い出してくれたらうれしい」と思いを託した。

　【　２０１９年３月１６日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】