2023 Awardees
Japanese Language Scholarship
Margaret O’Connell
Evanston Township High School (Evanston, IL)
Teacher and Exchange Coordinator, Japanese
I am so honored to have been selected for the JLSF Scholarship!
I would like to thank two of my mentor teachers, Michael Van Krey and Satsutani Shingo,for supporting me throughout this process. As a non-native teacher of Japanese, I am always striving to incorporate more authentic materials and engaging content into my curriculum. Through the generous support of the Aurora Foundation,
I will travel to Japan in the summer to research the history and lived experiences of the Ainu in Hokkaido,Zainichi Koreans in Tokyo,and the Ryukyu/Luchu in Okinawa. Traveling will allow me not only the necessary language refresher to sustain my own proficiency but will also give me the opportunity to take pictures and videos, collect authentic sources for reading materials or assessments, and bring home a wealth of knowledge to share with my students.
All-USA High School Japanese Speech Contest Winner
Zhuoru Zhou
Southridge High School (Beaverton, OR), 12th Grade
「Life Value that books brought to me」
My speech is about how books have changed my personal view of the world. Beginning in my childhood,
my mother brought me many children's books that have a very positive life view: the good guys will win over the bad. But after immigrating to the U.S., I felt uneasy about the difference between myself and the other peers at school. In this sensitive period, I read Human Lost by Osamu Dazai.
This book changed my thought from everything that should be perfect to forgiving people to have differences. Everyone is an ordinary person who has their own weakness and imperfection, it became one of my own key life values.
Aurora's 25th Anniversary Special International Award
Lion Kikin Foundation Volunteer Award: High School Students Awardees
Kurashiki Kojoike High School Students Group
We are members of "Wasshoi TOKAZ."
We volunteered at a children's cafeteria as a start. We started educational activities for reducing food loss to solve "food waste" and "child poverty" problems in our city. We raise items in our school, cook meals for the children's cafeteria, and do cooking lessons at the community center. Also, we teach about "reducing food waste" for elementary school students. Last summer, we participated in the national competition for the "High School Student Volunteer Awards 2023," which was sponsored by "Kaze ni tatsu Lion-Kikin," and we gave a presentation under the theme of "Aiming to reduce food waste ~ for bright future filled with happiness." As a result, we received the "Aurora Japanese Scholarship Foundation 25th Anniversary Award." We really appreciated to receive this award. We believe that is because we have been enthusiastic toward this project together. We hope it will inspire people in other countries, beginning from the US.
Intenational Amabasssaddor Award
25th Aurora Foundation Anniversary Speccial Year
Hiroshi & Taeko Sumiyama
「光陰矢の如し」とは言い古された言葉ですが、この度オーロラ日本語奨学金基金創設二十五周年を迎えるに当たりその感を深くしています。私が主に担当いたしました「米国高校生による日本語スピーチコンテスト全米大会」も今年で１９回目となりました。その優勝者を毎年夏に日本で行われる国際大会に米国代表として送り出して来ました。そしてその大会でも優れた成績を残し日本文化に対してアメリカの若者たちの関心の高さを広く世界に示してくれました。
2000年阿岸理事長からのお誘いを受けてオーロラ基金に参画させていただいたのには私の一つの思いがありました。私は今では数少なくなった第二次世界大戦の経験者であり私の生き方の原点は「８月１５日」すなわち終戦の日にあります。日本の敗戦を知りその後の生活に不安はありましたが、あの悲惨な戦争が終わり世界に平和がもたらされるという淡い期待を持ちました。そして二度とこのような戦争を起こしてはならないという強い思いを抱きました。しかし、その後八十数年に及ぶ今日まで世界のどこかで戦火の絶えることなく、多くの犠牲者が増え続けています。今日ではTVの画面にウクライナ、パレスチナの戦火による悲惨な現状が映し出され、そこには多くの未来のある子どもたちが犠牲となっている傷ましい姿があります。こうした事態をどうすればなくすことが出来るのか、その第一歩として国、人種を超えて個人個人がお互いの文化を学び相手の考え方を理解することによりその絆を深めることではないでしょうか。オーロラ基金の活動はまさにその目的に適ったものだと言えます。
このオーロラ基金の活動が25年の長きにわたって続けてこられたのは阿岸理事長のリーダーシップのもとボランティアとしてそれぞれの力を惜しみなく発揮していただいた多くの方々の努力のおかげであり、そうした活動を強力に支えていただいた名誉会長のさだまさしさん、歴代在ロサンゼルス日本国総領事他の方々のご尽力によることに思いを致し、ここに改めて深甚なる感謝の気持ちを表したいと思います。
そしてオーロラ日本語奨学金基金の活動が末長く続いていくことを願って止みません。
Intenational Amabasssaddor Award
25th Aurora Foundation Anniversary Speccial Year
Grace Shiba
I have had the honor of being a part of many Aurora Foundation and Japanese Language Scholarship Foundation programs and witnessed first-hand the wonderful work they do to promote goodwill between the U.S. and Japan. Meeting the winners of your scholarships and contests and to hear how much they appreciate the opportunities awarded to them have been inspiring.
I would like to thank the Founder and President, Dr. Akiko Agishi as she has been the pillar of the Foundation. Her passion and commitment to foster their mission are admirable and has made a difference to the lives of many.
Additionally, congratulations to Mr. Masashi Sada, for celebrating his 50th anniversary in entertainment. We are honored to welcome you back to Los Angeles. Your performances over the years have been unrivaled.
As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary, this is a great opportunity for us to recollect the memories we shared and to cherish them again.
Continued success to the Aurora Foundation!
January 20, 2024 JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles