Marquel Carter, a senior at Culver High School in California, talks about the appreciation for other cultures that he gained through studying Japanese


I began studying Japanese in kindergarten at El Marino Language School in Culver City. My mom started me in the program so I could learn another language. She chose Japanese over Spanish because it is more challenging, prominent within the business world, and difficult to become fluent in when you are an adult. I decided to continue studying Japanese in middle and high school because I noticed how it helped me become meticulous and attentive in my studies and excel all throughout school in many ways. It enhanced my ability to learn and gave me confidence to work hard and stick with it because there was a great reward at the end. I pushed myself to overachieve athletically and academically.

I have had so many wonderful experiences because I studied Japanese. I learned to play the taiko drums in elementary school and developed a love of Japanese foods at an early age. I participated in an exchange trip to Japan in fifth grade and attended school with kids from my host family. I participated in the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program in elementary and middle school. After my sophomore year in high school, I went to Japan with my grandfather, who is a musician, on a religious revival where I was able to translate for him. I was featured in the LA Times, on NBC Sports, and in Sports Illustrated for my athletic abilities on the football field as well as my performance in the classroom and fluency speaking Japanese. They were all amazed at how well I performed in school as an African-American student who speaks Japanese without having anyone in my immediate family speaking the language. Studying Japanese has expanded my world into other cultures and gave me a better appreciation of our differences. My circle of friends is so diverse, and we respect each other.

I highly recommend that students study Japanese because it excels your ability to learn, not just the language itself but any subject. It trains your mind to think in a different way. Learning to write kanji, katakana and hiragana takes patience, attention to detail and strong thinking. It helps you to excel on tests and in the classroom because you have attained these skills. Studying Japanese helped to challenge me early in my educational path when teachers noticed that I excelled in traditional school subjects. Studying Japanese has expanded my mind and my thought process so I think strategically and mechanically, which has helped me maintain honor roll status throughout high school. I enjoy being able to communicate with people all over and see their reaction when they hear me speak proper Japanese. Learning Japanese and becoming bilingual expands your possibilities for careers and your future by opening doors you never knew could exist.

(February 2010)