Origami cranes and a visiting professor’s musical prowess on the Koto greeted us at our all-school community life assembly on Tuesday as Williston students and faculty showed their support of our Japanese students and their families, as well as the larger human community in Japan that has been affected by the recent tsunami and its aftermath. Following the example of a quartet of “little Willies”—the young children of two faculty members—the entire school made an additional 832 paper cranes.

To begin our meeting, our guest Dr. Ann Prescott, director of East Asian Studies for the Five Colleges, gave a beautiful performance on the Koto, a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument. Then the crane-making began. I joined one advisory group in making a crane and then observed our students and faculty spread throughout the gym as they completed theirs—it was an inspiring sight.

With our long history of welcoming students from Japan as well as many other nations around the world, Williston provides a global diversity that enriches the experience of each student, and on this day we certainly shared in a common spirit.

Here I am with my crane!