Good morning current Aomori JETs!
Here is your voting email for next year’s AJET cabinet!
Voting RULES:
- Only JETs who have re-contracted for the 2014-2015 year will be able to vote, which will be monitored by the PAs to maintain authenticity.
- You NEED YOUR JET NUMBER to vote. This is the number you used to re-contract/sign up for the CLAIR Japanese courses. If you forgot your number, please contact the PA’s.
- You may only vote once.
- You may vote for yourself.
All votes must be submitted by Sunday night March 2nd at 11:59 PM. Any votes after this time will not be counted. Results will be announced by Wednesday after the election.
Please take the time to read each candidate’s platform below, then
CLICK HERE to submit your vote!
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PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Essa Wiseman – Kuroishi
My name is Essa (Jessica) Wiseman, and I’m an ALT in charming Kuroishi! Since my return to Japan last August, I’ve benefitted from the presence of AJET in Aomori. From the very start, AJET has been a resource for connecting with other JETs and exploring our great prefecture. I hope to facilitate the continuing development of an inclusive and interactive JET community and to work with the AJET team to be a source of help and information for new and current JETs.
Sam Piehl – Hirakawa
My name is Sam Piehl and I am currently a 4th year ALT in Hirakawa City. My time here in Aomori has been amazing due in no small part to the group of JETs we have and the efforts our current AJET council has made to bring us all together. I’ve spent the past three and a half years enjoying a lot of what our prefecture has to offer and would like to take this opportunity to use my experience to give back to our community.
The events AJET puts on help make friendships among people living all across the prefecture who might otherwise only meet once a year at SDC. I want to take on an active role in planning those events and creating some unforgettable memories. If elected president, I will dedicate myself to working with the council to welcome in all the newer members and keep this a fun and friendly place to live.
Pat Owens – Hachinohe
Hi, my name’s Pat Owens and I’m running for President of Aomori AJET. AJET has been thoroughly well run recently, so I believe the most important thing for the next executive council to do is to maintain and further refine many of the successful events from past years, most notably the Welcome Party, the Holiday Parties and the Murder Mystery Formal. I’d also like to focus on getting more events centered around introducing JETs to local Japanese in the communities around them. One way I think we could achieve this is by creating regular AJET-sponsored language exchanges in various parts of the prefecture, similar to the ones we’ve started doing in Hachinohe. AJET could also get Aomori JETs involved in other local events, for example, by organizing teams for the Shichinohe Snowball Fight and (my personal dream) getting a group together to carve an ice sculpture for the Lake Towada Winter Story Festival.
I’ve been pretty heavily involved with JET since I joined a year and a half ago. I’ve presented at Tokyo Orientation, Aomori Orientation and the Skills Development Conference. I’m a regional representative for the Nanbu area and also in charge of Good Morning Aomori. Currently, I’m co-editing the 2014 Aomori Rough Guide, where I hope to convince poor incoming JETs that Aomori is a warm, Hawaii-like beach paradise.
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VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Ryan Smith – Aomori City
We’ve had a great run with the current AJET executives and I’d really like to help keep the quality and enthusiasm of next year’s events just as high. But, in my opinion, AJET needs more dad jokes, the previous exec were all genuinely funny, upstanding citizens who were all incredibly good at their job. I can’t quite say the same about myself, but what I can say is that I’ll serve you as best I can, I’ll give you 100%, constantly striving to deliver events even more fun than settlers against humanity.
But in all seriousness, I do love seeing people get together and have a good time. I’ve previously worked as an events coordinator, bringing international and local university students together, as well as organizing local events for the Aomori city JET community the past couple of years. So, I guess I’m trying to say is, take a little chance on me Aomori, I won’t let you down.
Cheers,
Ryan
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TREASURER CANDIDATES
Kyle Buck – Shichinohe
My name is Kyle Buck. I am a 1st year JET in Shichinohe and I would like to give back to the JET community by becoming the new treasurer. As the new treasurer, I would work to ensure that AJET is financially secure so that we can continue to enjoy this wonderful community. I have experience maintaining my own books, getting through college debt free, as well as those of organizations I have been a part of. You can further be assured that I am qualified for this position by knowing that I am an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, and currently volunteer as the Scout Master for the Boy Scouts on Misawa Air Base. Please give me the opportunity to serve you as the new treasurer.
Thank you,
Kyle Buck
Amanda Lynn Marcroft – Hachinohe
My name is Amanda Lynn Marcroft, I’m an ALT in Hachinohe-shi on the Nanbu side of Aomori and I’m running for Treasurer because I believe I could do a lot of good with the position. Before JET I worked in bookkeeping for 3 years, giving me an extensive background in accounting, Excel, and general time management. I want to use these skills to keep our AJET community running smoothly and help strengthen it wherever possible, whether by digitizing records for transparency and ease of access or helping create great events that can appeal to all the various people we have up here in the Blue Forest.
Even before I applied to JET I admired AJET’s commitment to creating a welcoming community and wanted to get involved. With as big as Aomori is, I believe it’s important to have representatives from all over the prefecture and I particularly hope to encourage Nanbu involvement; more than anything, though, I want to ensure we have a strong, welcoming community for everyone to take part in. And, of course, I want to ensure we have the funding and organization necessary to continue holding the many fabulous events that give us a chance to have fun and connect across the prefecture. Thank you for taking the time to vote.
Chris Simmons – Misawa
My name is Chris Simmons. I will soon be completing my 3rd year as an ALT in Misawa. During my time here I have enjoyed organizing various events and gatherings for JETs and the Japanese American Friend Club in Misawa. I also contribute to the GMA blog by writing Aomori Spolight. I am running for Treasurer because I would like to become more involved in the AJET community.
Over the years I have seen all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Now, I know you’re all thinking, “This guy is overqualified!”. But I still feel as though protecting Aomori’s treasure is a good stepping stone for my pirate career after JET. I am also one of the Aomori elders (no longer in my 20’s), and we all know that old guys are good with money. Vote for me… YAR!
Aomori AJET 