2025-02-13T22:20:29-07:00 2024-03-31 990EZ 2023-04-01 461576420 KIZUNA ACROSS CULTURES KIZU 2023547812 1050 Connecticut Ave NW Washington DC 20035 Shanti Shoji VP 2028212319 2025-02-13 1 2023 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z X X X kacultures.org X X 195287 X 195287 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 195287 0 0 31437 99014 0 984 38527 169962 25325 98053 0 123378 98053 123378 0 0 0 0 98053 123378 0 0 98053 123378 To inspire youth in Japan and the US to look beyond their communities, embrace diversity, and become active global citizens by fostering international friendship through exchange of culture and collaborative learning via an educational exchange website. Global Classmates. From September 2023 to February 2024 the Global Classmates program, a six month bilingual exchange program for high school students across Japan and the US connected 79 high school with 2190 student participants. Students came from 21 states and 23 prefectures in Japan, with over 58000 comments exchanged between the students over the course of the program. In its 12th year, 95% of the students and 96% of the teachers reported satisfaction with the program. Since the program inception in 2011, there has been an overall improvement in the students' language skills. The program also seeks to reduce regional disparities in international opportunities. In this year's program, 69% of the US students have never been to Japan and 89% of the Japanese students have never been to the US. 129310 97735 Global Classmates Summit. In the summer of 2023, 14 students from the US and Japan participated in Global Classmates Summit, a virtual exchange that brings together Japanese and American high school students to deepen their understanding of one another and develop friendship, while fostering their skills to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the Japan and the US as well as the broader international community. To achieve this, students met 3-4 hours a day over the course of 12 days to engage in online activities. At this year's Summit, students fostered deeper bonds that were comparable to past Summits that were held in person before the pandemic. 28458 29697 Global Classmate Community. the Global Classmates Community is a group to support students and young professionals who seek to enrich their lives and careers through international experiences and perspectives. Online and in person events such as career panels, information on Japan related events, volunteer opportunities, study abroad, and international exchange and possible internship and public speaking opportunities with Kizuna Across Cultures. 1000 6970 134402 Ayako Smethurst Co-Founder, Executive Director, Board member 40 47077 0 0 Shanti Shoji Co-Founder, Board Member 1 0 0 0 John Basalla Board Member 0 0 0 0 Tomoyuki Suzuki Japan Director 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shanti Shoji 1050 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 65466 Washington DC 20035 2028212319 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NONE NONE 1 X 193128 194441 108953 163015 195287 854824 193128 194441 108953 163015 195287 854824 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 10000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 10000 844824 193128 194441 108953 163015 195287 854824 0.98830 0.98828 0 0 X Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 Description;Amount^Bank Fees;121|Other Expenses;2869|IT Fees;1995|Membership Fees;771|Payroll Tax;21012|Supplies;1444|Transportation and Travel;10315^Total;38527^ An extension for filing was obtained by the deadline, and filing of taxes is being completed by the February 15, 2025 deadline. An extension was requested to allow more time to gather necessary filing information.