History
The Toyota International Teacher Program began in 1998, with 50 teachers traveling to Japan for a two week study visit. A total of 433 U.S. teachers traveled to Japan and gained first-hand exposure to its culture and society, and shared this knowledge with their students and community members back in the United States. The Program to Japan greatly surpassed expectations as it added a tremendous amount of value in the classroom and continues to impact schools and communities nationwide.
Based on the success of the Japan study visits and the increasing importance of environmental issues worldwide, the program was expanded in 2006 to include a teacher program to the Galapagos Islands. Toyota’s involvement with the Galápagos Islands began in 2001, when the company partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to help conserve the Islands’ unique ecosystem. Toyota has since supported and funded many projects and programs in the Galápagos Islands. These include a redesign of the main fuel-handling facility, renewable-energy teacher education workshops, and oil and municipal recycling programs. Community education and outreach have also been key components of all projects.
In 2007, the Toyota International Teacher Program began sending teachers to Costa Rica, a country dedicated to protecting its natural resources, and where local experts educate teachers on local development, agronomy, and conservation practices.
The Programs to Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands have taken 164 educators from all over the United States to learn about solutions to global environmental issues. The next program will travel with 25 teachers and teacher-librarians to Costa Rica June 18 to July 3, 2010.
As the Toyota International Teacher Program enters its 11th year, Toyota is continually exploring new possibilities for educational programs. Building upon the success of past programs, and with an eye to future development, Toyota discontinued the Japan program in 2007 and is planning to launch a new program destination in 2011. Please check back with our website for this exciting new destination announcement!