BCS Student Wins Grand Prize in International Japanese Writing Contest
We are proud to announce that, Nosui Nakano, a student from Berlin Cosmopolitan School has achieved an extraordinary international success: one of only 10 grand prize winners selected from 4102 submissions from 473 schools in Japan and 19 Japanese schools from 7 oversea countries in the renowned Japanese “Life With Wood” Essay Contest organised by the Japan Wooden-Housing Builders Association.
This global competition invites young people to reflect on their experiences with wood, forests, nature and community — expressed through original writing in Japanese. Entries are judged for creativity, linguistic skill, emotional depth and cultural awareness.
A Poem Rooted in Imagination — and in BCS Nature Pedagogy
The jury was deeply moved by our student’s imaginative and tender poem about a child who forms a friendship with a tree in the schoolyard. The poem reflects a sense of connection, curiosity and respect for nature — values that are strongly nurtured at Berlin Cosmopolitan School.
As part of our educational approach, students regularly learn in the forest, explore natural environments and cultivate an authentic relationship with the outdoors. These experiences at our Nature Campus at the Müggelsee and at Prenden help our students understand nature not as a distant concept, but as something alive, present and meaningful. This poem is a beautiful example of how these encounters can blossom into creativity and storytelling.
Here is his award-winning poem:
