At the initiative of a group of local students, the Anchorage Assembly renamed one of the city’s parks after its first sister city.

Students from Sand Lake Elementary School advocated at the meeting to change the name of Sand Lake Park to Chitose Park in honor of the Japanese city.

On Tuesday night, 11-year-old Stella Falsey addressed the assembly, presenting a slideshow in which she mentioned the 55-year partnership between Anchorage and Chitose. She visited the city this summer and said it has its own Anchorage Park, complete with trees from Alaska’s largest city.

“There’s a golf course, a playground, really cool stuff, and they’re honoring us in that way,” Falsey said. “I think the least we can do is honor them in our town as well.”

Sand Lake Elementary is also home to the school district’s Japanese immersion program, which began in 1989. Eleven-year-old Addison Myers is part of the program and hopes the park’s naming will highlight the benefits of language immersion – especially as the district considers how to cut its budget.

“There’s been a push for the last few years to shut down some of the immersion programs,” Myers said. “And I just think it’s great that some of us have the opportunity to learn Japanese and go on these amazing trips.”

Students like 11-year-old Michael Tranberg said they were welcomed with open arms during their visit to Chitose.

“Chitose and actually all of Japan are fantastic places with fantastic people. They are the friendliest people you can imagine,” said Tranberg.

The assembly unanimously approved the renaming of the park. A group of dignitaries from Chitose will visit Anchorage in late August to tour Chitose Park when it officially opens.