Photos from the 2001 Summer camp to Rice Lake from Miharu. With this group, we also did our first 3 day Japanese camp at the campus in Rice Lake for almost 40 kids. The Summer Camp kids helped teach Japanese to the American kids. We had a lot of fun!

This was the LAST "official" summer camp from Miharu. Shortly after we returned, of course, there was the 2001 Terrorist Attack on the US, so it became more and more difficult in subsequent years to recruit students. The poor economy also was a major factor, but I think the most likely reason of all was that MIFA (under the stellar leadership of Naoko Ishikawa) couldn't be bothered to recruit and encourage young people to attend summer camp. With the death of Dr. Koyama and the resignation of Mayor Itoh in 2003, the small wound in leadership became a sucking VOID, and within 3 years, all of the major programs of the Rice Lake House were shut down - no more English conversation; no more French, Spanish or Korean; no more Family Halloween nights, no more Summer Camps, no more Haunted Houses - just the usual "drinking parties for the same 10 people".