The JACL’s Greater Los Angeles Chapter (formerly Greater L.A. Singles) is seeking eligible candidates for its annual Hana Uno Shepard Memorial Scholarship of $1,000.
An applicant must be a graduating high school senior with a high achievement record, from a single-parent family, of Japanese descent, and a resident of Los Angeles County or Orange County. The scholarship may be applied to any college, university, community college, fine arts, or vocational school.
The scholarship is given each year to not only financially assist students, but also to help Sansei, Yonsei, and Gosei applicants become acquainted with some of the goals of the JACL — the privileges and responsibilities of being Japanese American. Also, the history of the scholarship itself helps youth connect with their forebears’ historical past.
The scholarship was established in 1992 as a memorial to Hana Uno Shepard, a passionate member of the Great Los Angeles JACL for many years. Before her passing in 1987, she was active in the redress movement for the unconstitutional internment of Issei and Nisei held in camps during World War II.
Applications can be found at high school counselors’ offices or may be requested from Scholarship Chair Kristin Sakaguchi at kysakaguchi@gmail.com or (310) 483-8258. Applications must be postmarked on or before May 1.