Teacher searches for former JATP students

MOSES LAKE - When news of Japan's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear threat went viral, Susan Blackwell turned to the Internet to check on her former students' safety.

Blackwell, of Moses Lake, is the lead English teacher for Big Bend Community College's Japanese Agricultural Training Program (JATP).

She's held the position for roughly 15 years and forged friendships with many students.

"I was concerned for the safety of our former students who were back in Japan," she said. "I wasn't sure exactly which areas had been affected."

She went to Facebook and left messages for the students, receiving some responses. She is also connecting with students by using Skype.

Her communication hinges on the families having Internet access.

Blackwell is Japanese-American, with family still living in Japan.

Her relatives are doing fine, she said.

Before the disasters, a group of 50 additional JATP students was set to arrive in the US in two weeks.

It's unclear how the recent events affect their arrival, said Carla Boon, the program's Seattle-based operations coordinator.

"Everyone is obviously shocked about the news that is coming around the world," Boon said.

One deciding factor is if trainees can travel to Tokyo for departure.

Since Friday's earthquake, the program received many calls from former host farms and families about students.

As a result, the program's head office in Tokyo asked group leaders to find former trainees.

At some point, it appears former host families and students can reconnect.

A donation fund to help affected trainees was established Monday through the Big Bend Community College Foundation.

For more information, contact Doug Sly, at 509-793-2004, or via e-mail, dougs@bigbend.edu or foundation@bigbend.edu.

There are currently 37 JATP trainees in the US with one student working at Tonnemaker Hill Farm in Royal City.

The Royal City-based student, Yukihire Takeda, 23, is part of a farming family back home.

He has lived in the US for almost a year through the JATP program.

Takeda said he spoke with his father, sister and brother on Skype on Sunday.

His family didn't lose their home near Minamisoma, in eastern Japan, but their wheat crops were destroyed.

They decided to evacuate to the capital city of Tokushima as a precaution because they are 20 miles from a nuclear threat.

Some of Japan's nuclear power stations were affected by the earthquake.

The meltdown of a nuclear reactor at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s facility was feared, according to the Associate Press.

People within five miles of a nuclear site are advised to evacuate, he said.

"Yesterday, our family evacuated, just in case," he explained. "If something happened, it would be too late."