いよいよ明日に迫った文化祭！その前日の9月3日、特別講演会と前日祭が行われました。

　特別講演会では、本校初代校長の溝上芳秋先生をお迎えしました。冒頭から生徒たちの興味を引きつける溝上先生は、「仮名」を大切にしてほしいというお話をしてくださいました。本校がつくられた経緯や、なぜ学園歌として早稲田大学校歌の「都の西北を歌うのか」、日本のすばらしさやこれからの日本の未来についてなど、開校当時を知る溝上先生ならではの貴重なお話をしていただきました。

　午後からは、体育館で前日祭がスタート！新理事長の松本先生の挨拶に続き、高校生徒会長からも明日の文化祭に向けた挨拶がありました。
　続いて行われたのは、各企画の紹介動画。クラスメートやチームメイト、友達が次々とスクリーンに登場するたびに、体育館のあちらこちらから笑い声や大きな拍手が起こり、会場は大いに盛り上がりました。

　今年は体育館に新しくエアコンが設置されたこともあり、1000人を超える生徒が集まった会場も快適そのもの。暑さを気にすることなく、みんなで前日祭を楽しむことができました。

　そして、早稲田佐賀文化祭前日祭といえば、毎年恒例となっている実行委員会制作の「注意・事故動画」！教員が出演し、文化祭を安全に楽しむために気をつけてほしいことを、ユーモアたっぷりに伝えました。楽しい気分が最高潮に達しているときだからこそ、ルールを守らないことで、せっかくの行事に水を差すことのないように――。生徒たちは笑いながらも、実行委員会からの大切なメッセージをしっかりと受け取っていました。

　　前日祭を終え、これから放課後の最終準備に入ります。明日の本番に向けて、最後の仕上げに取り組む生徒たち。どのクラスも、どんな企画も、いよいよ完成間近です。

　明日は待ちに待った文化祭！生徒たちが仲間と一緒につくり上げてきた一日が、どんな文化祭になるのか――今から楽しみで仕方ありません！

  With the school festival just one day away, Waseda Saga held a special lecture and its annual pre-festival celebration on September 3.

  The day began with a special lecture by Mr. Yoshiaki Mizokami, the school’s founding principal. Captivating the students from the very beginning, Mr. Mizokami spoke about the importance of kana, the Japanese phonetic writing system. He also shared fascinating stories about the founding of Waseda Saga, the reason we sing Waseda University’s school anthem, “Miyako no Seihoku,” as our own school song, and his thoughts on Japan’s unique strengths and its future. It was a valuable opportunity for students to hear firsthand from someone who played such an important role in our early history.

  In the afternoon, the pre-festival celebration kicked off in the gymnasium! Following an opening address by Mr. Matsumoto, the school’s new Chairman, the high school student council president shared a few words to get everyone excited for the big day.

  Next came a series of promotional videos introducing the many attractions and activities planned for the festival. Every time a familiar face appeared on the big screen, cheers, laughter, and applause erupted from different corners of the gym. Whether it was a classmate, a teammate, or a friend, everyone seemed thrilled to see what was in store for the next day.

  Thanks to the newly installed air conditioning in the gymnasium, the more than 1,000 students gathered for the event were able to enjoy the celebration in comfort, without worrying about the heat.

  Of course, no Waseda Saga pre-festival celebration would be complete without the annual safety video produced by the Festival Organizing Committee! Featuring teachers in a variety of humorous situations, the video reminded students of the rules and precautions needed to keep the festival safe and enjoyable for everyone. Behind all the laughter was an important message: breaking the rules could spoil an event that so many people had worked hard to prepare. The students certainly enjoyed the humor, but the committee’s message came through loud and clear.

  With the celebration over, students are now heading into their final preparations after school. Classrooms and festival attractions are getting their finishing touches, and the excitement is building as everything comes together.

  Tomorrow is the day we’ve all been waiting for! After weeks of planning, teamwork, and preparation, the students are almost ready to bring their ideas to life. We can’t wait to see what this year’s Waseda Saga School Festival has in store!