THOUSAND OAKS : Class Opens Door to Another World

They arrive early each morning to learn about a distant culture and a language whose characters resemble art.

Some are satisfying their curiosity while others believe the class will someday give them an edge in the business world.

The 13 students gather at 7:15 a.m. at Thousand Oaks High School to write “schedule,” “stewardess” and “Hughes Market” in Japanese on the chalkboard. Later, they compete against the clock in a game of verbal skill.

“I want to be able to converse with the people who are the dominant business force,” said Reza Bavar, 16.

Two of the three Japanese writing systems, or alphabets, are taught to the students, who range from junior high school age to adult. Teacher Kayoko Mozley, a native of Japan who moved to the United States four years ago, also teaches about the country and people.

“The Japanese culture is different from the American culture. It’s good to know a culture other than your own,” said Mozley, who also teaches Japanese at California Lutheran University.

The class was offered through the Conejo Valley Unified School District’s adult education program for the first time last fall. School board members will consider on Thursday whether to pave the way for the beginning class to be offered as a regular high school elective if there is a qualified teacher and enough student interest.

Peter and Jeannette Scovill, both in their 40s, are hoping that knowledge of the language will enable them to live and work in Japan.

“We’re learning more than language study, we’re learning about the whole culture,” Jeannette Scovill said. “We hope that we’ll find some way to make money so we can live there.”