GLA JACL Presents Hana Uno Shepard Scholarships

GLA scholarship recipients (from left): Cole Masuno, Kaylin Kawada, Sydney Smanpongse, Chloe Masuda, Kyle Kawashiri.

GARDENA — The Greater Los Angeles JACL held its annual Hana Uno Shepard Scholarship and Chapter Fundraiser Dance on July 29 at the Ken Nakaoka Community Center in Gardena.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

• Cole Masuno, a Los Alamitos High School graduate, who is majoring in architecture at SCI-Arc.

• Kaylin Kawada, a Schurr High School graduate, who is majoring in business administration and management at California State University Los Angeles.

• Sydney Smanpongse, a Walnut High School graduate, who is majoring in sociology at UC Irvine.

• Chloe Masuda, a South High School graduate, who is majoring in health science: nutrition at CSU Long Beach.

• Kyle Kawashiri, a South Pasadena High School graduate, who is majoring in biology at Santa Clara University.

Smanpongse received a $1,000 scholarship and Masuno, Kawada, Masuda and Kawashiri received $500 each.

The scholarship was established in 1992 as a memorial to chapter member Han Uno Shepard, who passed away in 1987. She was active in the campaign to obtain redress and an apology for Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II.

David Shinjo served as DJ and performed exhibition dances with Gira Nakamoto and the Monday Night Formation Team. GLA JACL Co-president Kurt Ikeda sang. The evening also included a drawing for prizes.

From left: Miyako Kadogawa, dance chair; Janet Okubo, GLA co-president; Monday Night Formation Team (Noriko and Terri Tsuji; Gira Nakamoto and David Shinjo, who was also the DJ; Kikue and Shoji Miyagishima; Cora Alvar Ravelo and David Hribar); Kurt Ikeda, GLA co-president; Layne Sakamoto, GLA scholarship chair.