On 26 August 2011, 95 children and coaches of the Toyohashi-shi Boys & Girls Invention Club attended a factory tour of the Nitto Toyohashi Plant. Employees of Nitto were previously lecturers of a special summer class.

Children learned that adhesive tapes and films were used in every facet of daily life and that new products were produced from materials recycled from industrial waste. The children showed great interest and approached the task of cutting adhesive tape with a lot of excitement.

In order for children to gain an interest in science and thus produce future scientists and engineers, “Photonics Explorer”, in which materials for science are offered free of charge to junior high school students, is being evolved in Europe. This is an industry-government-academia action, in which five universities, guided by the University of Brussels in Belgium, conceptualize and develop materials which are then manufactured by private corporations with the funding of the EU.

Nitto Denko Czech and Nitto Denko Onomichi Plant cooperate in support of the initiative. Polarizer film is donated by the Onomichi Plant and employees of Nitto Denko Czech work to make the materials by hand. Through the NPO, 10,000 kits will eventually be distributed to over 10,000 junior high schools in 8 countries, including Belgium and the United Kingdom.

In schools where polarizer materials have already been distributed, students are studying the wonder and fun of light.