ABOUT US
SSCA HISTORY
2023
10 ⁄ 2023
More than 30 Sunnyvale citizens participated in the Iizuka Kaido Festival and Mayor Klein assumed the role of grand marshal in light of the absence of a mayor in Iizuka.
10 ⁄ 2023
More than 40 Sunnyvale citizens visited Iizuka with Mayor Klein and had a ceremony and reception.
09 ⁄ 2023
Iizuka mourned the passing of Mayor Makoto Katamine.
08 ⁄ 2023
The Iizuka Product Fair was held at the Sunnyvale Community Center and more than 100 Sunnyvale citizens attended.
08 ⁄ 2023
Seventeen Iizuka citizens visited Sunnyvale as part of our 10th anniversary celebrations. They enjoyed a ceremony and reception with Sunnyvale citizens.
06 ⁄ 2023
SSCA hosted an art booth with prizes at the Art and Wine Festival.
06 ⁄ 2023
Nineteen students and four chaperones tour Japan and stay in Iizuka with host families.
05 ⁄ 2023
SSCA hosted an origami booth at the Hands on the Arts Festival.
04 ⁄ 2023
Iizuka gifted ten cherry trees that were planted at Braly Park on Arbor Day.
04 ⁄ 2023
About 30 people including Mayor Klein celebrated Hanami at Braly Park.
03 ⁄ 2023
Twenty Iizuka students and six chaperones visited Sunnyvale for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
02 ⁄ 2023
Two Iizuka students' designs were selected for the Sunnyvale Library Card Design Contest.
2022
09 ⁄ 2022
Joined the annual Sunnyvale State of City.
06 ⁄ 2022
19 students and 4 chaperones visit visit Iizuka as part of a student exchange program, the first US-Japan exchange since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic
05 ⁄ 2022
Attended Sunnyvale's Hands on the Art Festival
03 ⁄ 2022
Braly Park hosts a hanami (flower viewing) picnic for the first time in two years
02 ⁄ 2022
The Art Exchange Program sees 28 Iizuka and Sunnyvale artists collaborate on one big art project
2021
12 ⁄ 2021
Digital Exchange Program - online
10 ⁄ 2021
Library Exchange Program
08 ⁄ 2021
Sister City Story Time
07 ⁄ 2021
Art Exchange Program
04 ⁄ 2021
Cherry Tree Planting Ceremony at Braly Park
02 ⁄ 2021
Art Exchange at Nimitz Elementary School - online
2020
12 ⁄ 2020
Sweet Sunnyvale Art Workshop at the Library - online
11 ⁄ 2020
Sweet Sunnyvale Art Celebration - online workshop
06 ⁄ 2020
S2I Program cancelled due to COVID-19
05 ⁄ 2020
Hands on the Arts At Home (Kabuto Hats and Hina Dolls)
04 ⁄ 2020
Vivid Art Greetings from Kobukuro Elementary School - virtual exhibit
03 ⁄ 2020
I2S Program cancelled due to COVID-19
2019
11 ⁄ 2019
Connecting the Dots at the Stocklmeir Math Fest (Art from Iizuka, Math Puzzles from Japan, Sunnyvale Art Map for Iizuka)
11 ⁄ 2019
Twelve Sunnyvale residents traveled to Tokyo, Kyoto and Iizuka for a 10-day group Adult Exchange Program. Iizuka host families let the travelers experience ordinary Japanese life first-hand
10 ⁄ 2019
Art from Kaita Municipal School, Iizuka exhibited at Cupertino Middle School Fall Family Night
10 ⁄ 2019
The second SSCA supported Startup World Cup event took place in Iizuka. Two companies advanced to the Tokyo quarterfinals and two companies advanced to the Osaka quarterfinals
09 ⁄ 2019
Sunnyvale Art Map - Stocklmeir Elementary School students create Pop Art Cards (in the style of Roy Lichtenstein) of their favorite Sunnyvale places for Iizuka
09 ⁄ 2019
SSSCA managed an origami booth at Sunnyvale's State of the City event
06 ⁄ 2019
Twenty Sunnyvale middle and high school students visited Tokyo and Iizuka for 10 days
06 ⁄ 2019
SSCA managed a lottery wheel booth at Sunnyvale's Art, Wine and Music Festival
05 ⁄ 2019
SSCA managed an origami booth at Sunnyvale's Hands on the Arts Festival
04 ⁄ 2019
Art from Kaita Municipal School, Iizuka, exhibited at Sunnyvale Public Library
03 ⁄ 2019
Twenty Iizuka middle and high school students visited Sunnyvale and attended class at Homestead High School, Columbia Middle School and Sunnyvale Middle School
2018
09 ⁄ 2018
SSCA invited the Startup World Cup to Iizuka, where ten Kyushu companies delivered presentations. Two companies advanced to the Japanese finals in October
09 ⁄ 2018
Six Sunnyvale students attended the SCCA's fourth robot programming class, where they studied the RUBY programming language
09 ⁄ 2018
SSCA managed a photo booth at Sunnyvale's State of the City event, drawing attention with Pokemon costumes
06 ⁄ 2018
Twenty Sunnyvale HS/MS students visited Iizuka, and spend three days attending school in Iizuka
06 ⁄ 2018
SSCA managed a booth at the Art and Wine Festival in downtown Sunnyvale
05 ⁄ 2018
SSCA managed a booth at the Hands on the Arts Festival at the Sunnyvale Community Center
03 ⁄ 2018
Twenty Iizuka middle school students visited Sunnyvale and attended class at Fremont High School, Columbia Middle School, and Sunnyvale Middle School
03 ⁄ 2018
Thirteen Sunnyvale students attended the SCCA's third robot programming class, where they studied the RUBY programming language
01 ⁄ 2018
Two elementary teachers from Iizuka did home-stays with elementary school teachers in Sunnyvale and toured Sunnyvale elementary schools
2017
11 ⁄ 2017
Iizuka Mayor Makoto Katamine and City Council Chair Seiichi Fujiura visited Sunnyvale and delivered remarks at a Sunnyvale City Council meeting.
09 ⁄ 2017
Sunnyvale Mayor Glenn Hendricks visited Iizuka and delivered remarks at the Iizuka City Council Meeting
06 ⁄ 2017
Eighteen (12 middle school and 6 high school) Sunnyvale students visited Iizuka for S2I 2017
03 ⁄ 2017
Second Cherry Blossoms (Hanami) Picnic at Braly Park
03 ⁄ 2017
Second Robot Programming Class with 12 Sunnyvale participants
2016
12 ⁄ 2016
Mayor Hendricks of Sunnyvale and Mayor Saito of Iizuka signed the Sister City Agreement marking the commencement of the official sister city relationship
10 ⁄ 2016
Two more Sunnyvale adults visited Iizuka and were moved by the hospitality of their hosts
08 ⁄ 2016
Twenty Iizuka students visited Sunnyvale and attended Homestead High School and Sunnyvale Middle School
06 ⁄ 2016
Fourteen Sunnyvale students visit Iizuka
05 ⁄ 2016
First Adult Exchange Program: Dr. Nawata from Iizuka visited Dr. Yoshida in Sunnyavle and Dr. Yoshida visited Dr. Nawata
Sunnyvale Rotary Club welcomed Iizuka Rotary Club and they started their friendship
03 ⁄ 2016
First Cherry Tree Viewing (HANAMI) picnic at Braly Park
2015
09 ⁄ 2015
Sunnyvale Middle School robotics class taught by three Kyuushu Institute of Technology students from Iizuka
Moved to Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale
Announced 2016 dates for S2I (Sunnyvale to Iizuka) student exchange program
The cherry tree planting ceremony was covered by the Sunnyvale SUN.
Taking Root
08 ⁄ 2015
Twenty Iizuka students visited Sunnyvale and attended Fremont High School and Sunnyvale Middle School.
Iizuka also donated twenty cherry trees to Sunnyvale and planting ceremonies were held at Homestead High School and Columbia Middle School.
06 ⁄ 2015
Eight Sunnyvale students visited Iizuka on SSCA’s second student cultural exchange trip.
2014
12 ⁄ 2014
Held information session on 2015 S2I program
10 ⁄ 2014
San Jose Mercury News covered SSCA activitiesSunnyvale Sister City Association completes inaugural student exchange program
09 ⁄ 2014
State of California granted California State tax exempt status to SSCA
The District Digest covered SSCA activitiesSunnyvale Middle School Students Visit Iizuka, Japan
08 ⁄ 2014
Sunnyvale welcomed 20 junior high school students from Iizuka who enjoyed Bay Area life and attended classes at Sunnyvale Middle School
Iizuka donated cherry trees as a token of lasting friendship which were planted at six different locations in Sunnyvale
06 ⁄ 2014
Eleven Sunnyvale students visited Iizuka as the first exchange program students
IRS granted Federal income tax exemption to SSCA, as a 501(c) 3 organization
03 ⁄ 2014
Confirmed that eleven Sunnyvale students will visit Iizuka in June
02 ⁄ 2014
Announced the S2I Project, sending Sunnyvale students to Iizuka from Fremont High School, Sunnyvale Middle School, and Columbia Middle School
2013
12 ⁄ 2013
Morichika Saito, Mayor of Iizuka, signs a "Friendly Exchange Relations Agreement" after getting approval from Iizuka's City Council
SSCA turns in form 1023 to the IRS in order to get classified as 501(c)3
11 ⁄ 2013
Anthony Spitaleri, Mayor of Sunnyvale, signs a "Friendly Exchange Relations Agreement" after getting approval from Sunnyvale's City Council
10 ⁄ 2013
SSCA mails an official application for NPO status to the Secretary of State, and 501(c)3 status for the organization is pending.
09 ⁄ 2013
Akiko Inoue, SSCA's Event Manager, visits schools in Iizuka to discuss future activities between the two cities.
A representative from Iizuka Friendship Network visits Mayor Anthony Spitaleri and delivers a letter from Iizuka's mayor.
08 ⁄ 2013
Iizuka Friendship Network, NPO, is officially organized to facilitate a sister city relationship with Sunnyvale.
07 ⁄ 2013
Mark Kato visits several candidate cities in Japan and discusses possibilities.
At an SSCA meeting, Iizuka in Fukuoka prefecture is selected to be a sister city of Sunnyvale.
05 ⁄ 2013
Through the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan, Kei Hagiwara announces to 1,700 Japanese cities that volunteers in Sunnyvale are looking for a sister city.
SSCA holds its first meeting.
01 ⁄ 2013 –
03 ⁄ 2013
Staff recruitment for the Sunnyvale Sister City Association (SSCA) begins.
01 ⁄ 2013
Kei Hagiwara, Vice Consul of the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, Mike Michitaka, and Mark Kato meet with Sunnyvale Mayor Anthony Spitaleri and request municipal support for their activities.
2012
12 ⁄ 2012
Mike Michitaka and Mark Kato deliver a written proposal on their sister city idea to Anthony Spitaleri, Mayor of Sunnyvale.
10 ⁄ 2012
Mike Michitaka and Mark Kato brainstorm on grassroots activities that will benefit Sunnyvale citizens and the sister city idea takes hold.