Scholarships & Programs

Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai

College Scholarship Available

2010 Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai Scholarship
Don’t forget that the Kenjinkai awards a $1000 scholarship to a qualified student each year.

Do you have a graduating high school senior in your family? Don’t forget that the Kenjinkai awards a $1000 scholarship to a qualified student each year. Please read the following if you do to find out if your senior is qualified to apply. Good Luck applicants!

Application Deadline is May 1st 2010. Applicants must therefore send their application through the US Postal Service and it must be post marked no later than May 1st 2010 to be considered for the award.

All applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for our scholarship.

  • The applicant must be a high school senior enrolling in an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.
  • First year college or university students may also be considered but only if there are no applications received from qualified high school applicants by the May 1st cutoff.
  • Applicants must provide an official transcript from their current school indicating a "B" grade point average or higher. This transcript must be submitted along with the application through the US Postal Service.
  • The applicant must also submit a 300 to 500 word essay on their goals and aspirations for the future and how our scholarship will help them contribute to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai’s goal of keep Okinawan culture and traditions alive for future generations. Please include any participation in the Okinawan arts that you or your parents have participated in.
  • The applicant or the applicant’s family must have been a “Member in good standing” for at least three years to be considered. Please indicate such on your application.

Selection of the award will be made from the applications received by the deadline date using the US postal stamp as verification that the application was received on time. All applicants meeting the above requirements will be considered and voted upon at the May officers meeting. Only official Kenjinkai officers will be allowed to vote for the successful applicant and the award will be announced at the Annual Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai Picnic which will be held on July 24th 2010.

Contact any one of the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai officers if you have questions or need help. COKJK President - Mieko Zukeran is the primary point of contact for this scholarship.

Application Form Here
Scholarship Application
 
The Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai is seeking a student to participate in the 2010 Junior Study Tour. The tour will take place in Okinawa from July 20th to July 26th 2010. The Okinawa Prefectural Government is inviting youth from overseas Kenjinkais’ to come to Okinawa to deepen their ties with Okinawa through participation in various learning experiences involving Okinawa's history, culture, society, nature, and study of peace. These activities will take place along side Okinawan students also participating in the program.

Applicants must be of Okinawan descent and between the ages of 13 to 18. They must not have participated in a prior junior study tour and the student must also be a Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai member and have family in Okinawa that they can stay with for one to two weeks. For information on specific requirements or for the applications, Please contact our Kenjinkai President Mieko Zukeran at miko59@gmail.com or call (773) 818-4713. You can download the application from the scholarship page of our web site which is located at www.chicagookinawakenjinkai.com. Hurry though because the deadline to apply is March 15, 2010. All applications must be postmarked no later than Monday, March 15, 2010 to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai.

Also, any adult Kenjinkai member capable of translating between Japanese and English and wishing to Chaperone for the 2010 Junior Study Tour should contact Mieko Zukeran as the Okinawa Prefectural Government is seeking Chaperones for the event.

       
 
2010 Host Family Bank
Since 2007, the Okinawa Prefectural Government has been conducting the Host Family Bank Program. The goal of this program is to facilitate international exchange with local residents, stimulate overseas Okinawan society, and develop the worldwide Uchina network through the promotion of two-way exchange between young Okinawans and young Okinawan descendents living overseas. The projected date for this year’s event is from June 16th, 2010 to June 26th, 2010. That’s 11 days and 10 nights of hands on learning opportunities. Participants will attend an Okinawan school and interact with Okinawan students. They will also visit the place of the participant’s ancestral roots in Okinawa, and participate in local events. They will experience hands-on learning of Okinawan traditional arts & crafts, cooking, and even karate. All while learning about the Ryukyu Kingdom and other aspects of Okinawan history.

The Okinawa Prefectural Government is now seeking participants for the Homestay Program for Overseas Youths of Okinawan Descent. The Submission Deadline for applications is April 1st, 2010 and the Notification of Selection date will be April 16th, 2010. These times are in Japan Standard Time so be sure to consider the date in Japan when making your submission. The information for applying to the program is now located on your Kenjinkai web site. www.chicagookinawakenjinkai.com If interested please visit the site and download the necessary forms and information. Thank You Very Much for your efforts.

Here are the Application Forms

Application Page 2
Japanese Page 2
 
Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) Scholarship

Terry Shima, Executive Director of the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA), has asked for JACL's assistance in spreading the word about scholarships which are now available through JAVA.

JAVA has received donations from individuals honoring the lives, and in the memory of, Douglas Ishio, Orville Shirey, and Jack Tashiro. JAVA's Executive Council accepted the gifts with the understanding that the funds would be made available for scholarship purposes. Thus, JAVA has established a Memorial Scholarship Program (MSP).

The first of the awards to be given out at the second quarterly membership meeting of JAVA in 2008 will be three $1,000 scholarships.

The JAVA Memorial Scholarship Program is governed by two threshold requirements: (1) the application, supported by documentation, must show a record of academic excellence and a seriousness of purpose in pursuing a post-secondary education/training goals; and (2) the applicant must provide information showing that he or she is related, by blood or marriage, to a person who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the 100th Infantry Battalion, or other units therewith, or to a person who served in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service; or to a person of Japanese ancestry who otherwise serves or has served in the Armed Forces of the United States; or, to a person who has been a member of JAVA for a period of no less than one year dating back from the date of the application.

Applicants may be high school seniors, current college students, or graduate or professional school students. Trade, vocational, and other institution students are also invited to apply. Interested students should check for complete information on the JAVA scholarships online at www.javadc.org.

Please contact the sponsoring organization directly for information, if it is different from the JASC.

E-mail us at jascinfo@jasc-chicago.org
Japanese American Service Committee
4427 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
773 275-7212 - Social Services
773 275-0097 - Cultural & Community Programs
773 275-0958 - Fax
Web site: www.jasc-chicago.org

 
Okinawa Prefectural Government Scholarship

Okinawa Prefectural Government Scholarship Application Due. Currently accepting Okinawan Prefectural Government Scholarship Applications - Scholarship for young persons of Okinawan descent an opportunity to learn about Okinawan culture and other subjects of interest so that they can return to their communities and share what they have learned and experienced. Selected individuals will study at University of the Ryukyus or the Okinawan Prefectural Art Institute(Geidai). The award includes air transportation, tuition, books, room and board. For more information, please contact HUOA at 676-5400 or email to huoa@huoa.org. Get an application.

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