A paper co-authored by teachers from Muroto High School and a geological specialist has been awarded the Best Paper Award in the School Division of the 2025 Academic Year Educational Practice Research Papers (Kochi Branch of the Japan Educational Civil Servants Mutual Aid Association).

The title of the award-winning paper is “Regionally Collaborative Education for Participation in Geopark Activities: Connecting Feelings for their Hometown through Theater to High School Students 10 Years from Now”.

This paper provides a detailed report on the practice, achievements, and outcomes of the “Formation of the Earth” theater project conducted by students in the Social Welfare program at a nursery school.

Students are achieving remarkable growth through their interactions with kindergarteners and community members (the learning team). The impact of theatrical activities both within and beyond the school, along with the students’ growth in connecting their feelings for their hometown, were examined.

The award-winning papers will be compiled into a collected works and widely introduced and distributed to schools and educational institutions throughout the prefecture under the theme “To Think about Tomorrow’s Education Based on the Reality of Schools.”