Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Lance Cpl. Lauren Brune - Students with Matthew C. Perry Elementary School play in a parachute during an end-of-year Field Day at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 8, 2018. Field Day was organized in order to motivate students to stay active during the summer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Lauren Brune)

From left to right, Jenny Reese, assistant principal at Matthew C. Perry Elementary School, Jessica Blackston and Kenji Brunson, students at M.C. Perry Elementary School and Arturo Rivera, principal at M.C. Perry Elementary School receive a box of mikans from Motoi Yoshimura, right, leading board director and union president at the Yamaguchi Oshima Agricultural Cooperative Association during the 6th Annual Mikan Presentation at M.C. Perry at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 1, 2016. Mikans are orange citrus fruits that resemble tangerines and are a symbol of Japan’s agricultural export business. The event provided students and staff the opportunity to strengthen their bond with Iwakuni residents. - From left to right, Jenny Reese, assistant principal at Matthew C. Perry Elementary School, Jessica Blackston and Kenji Brunson, students at M.C. Perry Elementary School and Arturo Rivera, principal at M.C. Perry Elementary School receive a box of mikans from Motoi Yoshimura, right, leading board director and union president at the Yamaguchi Oshima Agricultural Cooperative Association during the 6th Annual Mikan Presentation at M.C. Perry at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 1, 2016. Mikans are orange citrus fruits that resemble tangerines and are a symbol of Japan’s agricultural export business. The event provided students and staff the opportunity to strengthen their bond with Iwakuni residents.

Matthew C. Perry School students and Japanese students pose for a photo at the annual holiday concert at Marine Memorial Chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 8, 2015. The American and Japanese students prepared and sang a number of holiday songs in both Japanese and English. - Matthew C. Perry School students and Japanese students pose for a photo at the annual holiday concert at Marine Memorial Chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 8, 2015. The American and Japanese students prepared and sang a number of holiday songs in both Japanese and English.

Residents from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, visit the Peace Memorial Park area after visiting the atomic bomb dome in Hiroshima, Dec. 5, 2015. The Youth and Teen Center provided station residents the opportunity to explore the Peace Memorial Park area and shop around the area. The dome is the only building that remains and provided students with a visual image of the aftermath of World War II. - Residents from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, visit the Peace Memorial Park area after visiting the atomic bomb dome in Hiroshima, Dec. 5, 2015. The Youth and Teen Center provided station residents the opportunity to explore the Peace Memorial Park area and shop around the area. The dome is the only building that remains and provided students with a visual image of the aftermath of World War II.

Makaiya Harris, first place winner of the advanced group, receives a gold medal at the 54th Annual Japanese and English Speech Contest at the Iwakuni Sinfonia in Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 8, 2015. Japanese contestants wrote their own speeches in English and American students delivered theirs in Japanese. The ultimate goal of the speech contest is to promote understanding and friendship between Americans and Japanese. - Makaiya Harris, first place winner of the advanced group, receives a gold medal at the 54th Annual Japanese and English Speech Contest at the Iwakuni Sinfonia in Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 8, 2015. Japanese contestants wrote their own speeches in English and American students delivered theirs in Japanese. The ultimate goal of the speech contest is to promote understanding and friendship between Americans and Japanese.

Workbooks for Mrs. Nizhoni Mendoza’s fifth grade class line a table waiting to be distributed among the students of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 31, 2015. M. C. Perry Elementary School is the National Blue Ribbon School for the Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific and the principle’s ultimate goal is to keep that status. - Workbooks for Mrs. Nizhoni Mendoza’s fifth grade class line a table waiting to be distributed among the students of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 31, 2015. M. C. Perry Elementary School is the National Blue Ribbon School for the Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific and the principle’s ultimate goal is to keep that status.

A banner sits inside the front office of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 7, 2014. Visitors can sign the banner to celebrate M. C. Perry Elementary winning the title of National Blue Ribbon School. Only two Department of Defense Education Activity schools received the honor this year; Aukamm Elementary School in Germany and M. C. Perry Elementary. - A banner sits inside the front office of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 7, 2014. Visitors can sign the banner to celebrate M. C. Perry Elementary winning the title of National Blue Ribbon School. Only two Department of Defense Education Activity schools received the honor this year; Aukamm Elementary School in Germany and M. C. Perry Elementary.

Sixth-graders of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School portray historical figures from Greek and Roman History during the Living Wax Museum at M.C. Perry Elementary School Gym aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 3, 2104. This is the sixth consecutive year the sixth-graders put on this event. - Sixth-graders of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School portray historical figures from Greek and Roman History during the Living Wax Museum at M.C. Perry Elementary School Gym aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 3, 2104. This is the sixth consecutive year the sixth-graders put on this event.

Gabrielle Romeo 8, a Matthew C. Perry Elementary School student, demonstrates her project during the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Repurpose Carnival, which took place inside the M. C.Perry Elementary School gymnasium May 31, 2013. - Gabrielle Romeo 8, a Matthew C. Perry Elementary School student, demonstrates her project during the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Repurpose Carnival, which took place inside the M. C. Perry Elementary School gymnasium May 31, 2013.

Leilani Duncan, a Matthew C. Perry Elementary School 5th grade student, looks for eggs, larva and caterpillars at the station Community Garden Oct. 18, 2012. Since the beginning of the Community Garden, students are not the only ones who have began to help with the garden, other teachers and parents have also taken an interest in helping to make the garden a success. The Community Garden, has already won an award recognizing them as one of only ten schools to win the "How Do You Green Your School?" contest by Nicklodeon and the National Wildlife Federation. - Leilani Duncan, a Matthew C. Perry Elementary School 5th grade student, looks for eggs, larva and caterpillars at the station Community Garden Oct. 18, 2012. Since the beginning of the Community Garden, students are not the only ones who have began to help with the garden, other teachers and parents have also taken an interest in helping to make the garden a success. The Community Garden, has already won an award recognizing them as one of only ten schools to win the "How Do You Green Your School?" contest by Nicklodeon and the National Wildlife Federation.