By LUKE INOSHITA
RISING STARS YOUTH LEADERSHIP PARTICIPANT
Rising Stars is a seven-month program that takes place on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., located at Union Church in Little Tokyo. The current session began on Oct. 11, 2025 and concludes on April 11, 2026. Sessions are held one to two times every month.
In this program, highschool students are taught various leadership skills such as team dynamics, assertiveness, speaking to inspire, and networking, which are all taught through trained professionals.
Along with leadership skills, students are also given the opportunity to be more involved in the Japanese American community through workshops that are focused specifically on cultural awareness and Japanese American heritage. Participants visit Japanese American institutions in Little Tokyo, including the Japanese American National Museum, the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, and the Go For Broke National Educational Center.
A significant part of the program is the Rising Stars Annual Mini Golf Tournament, which will be held on Saturday, March 7, at Camelot Golfland, 3200 E. Carpenter Ave., Anaheim.
With skills learned throughout the program, the students are responsible for organizing and hosting the tournament. All funds raised from the tournament will directly fund Rising Stars 23. Students raise funds through sponsorships, golfer entries, and raffle ticket sales. They are responsible for collecting raffle prizes and goodie bag items.
The tournament is a great way to get the family and friends out for a fun game of miniature golf while also contributing to a good cause. There will be a raffle that features as top prizes a Shohei Ohtani jersey with Dodger tickets, a gift card basket, or Airpods. Winners do not need to be present to win.
Fees for golf and food will be $15 for children under 12 and $20 for adults. If you would like to join us for lunch only, it will be $10.
In summary, the Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program is designed to teach life skills that these students will utilize in their daily lives and future professional careers.
For golf tournament information, phone (213) 254-5722 or email info@risingstarsylp.org. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit the website: www.risingstarslyp.org. Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Luke Inoshita is a Rising Stars 22 participant and a junior at Granada Hills Charter High School. He hopes to learn leadership skills for college and beyond.