The chapter recognizes the achievements of three area students.
During its annual Ice Cream Social on May 19 at the Fletcher Farm Community Center in Sacramento, Calif., the Florin JACL chapter held its awards presentation to recognize the achievements of three area students with scholarships totaling $5,500.
The awards social also featured a mini-Manzanar pilgrimage reunion, where participants shared their experiences and reflections about the April 27 event.
The students honored this year by the chapter are:
Nola Nishio
Nola Nishio, daughter of Melissa and Matt Nishio, is graduating from C. K. McClatchy High School. Her involvement with JACL is influenced by her maternal grandfather (San Jose JACL) and her paternal grandmother (Florin JACL). Nishio has been a volunteer at the “Uprooted” exhibit at the California Museum and has fond memories helping at the Nikkei Dog and Ice Cream socials. It is her hope that her generation of Japanese Americans can continue to learn the importance of the contributions of JACL to our community. Nishio has participated in Jan Ken Po Gakko, Baron’s basketball and Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance. She has been accepted at the University of California, San Diego, where she plans to major in psychology.
Linnea Tamaki
Linnea Tamaki, daughter of Alexandra and Glenn Tamaki, is attending the University of California, Davis, and is majoring in biomedical engineering. She has always been curious about the Japanese American incarceration experience during World War II. After she learned about her Great-Aunt Sachi’s book about her WWII experience at Heart Mountain, it became Tamaki’s mission to be more educated about the incarceration. She attended Time of Remembrance activities and began conversations with her grandfather about his experiences as well. Tamaki has been described as having the qualities of leadership, scholarship and service. Her goals in the biomedical fields are focused on animals and prosthetics for animals.
Jaelin Umeda
Jaelin Umeda, daughter of Sarah Lindberg and Greg Umeda, is graduating from C. K. McClatchy High School. She has attended Florin JACL activities and attributes her interest because of her grandmother’s influence of the importance of the Japanese American experience. Umeda is fluent in the Japanese language and has participated in Jan Ken Po Gakko, Baron’s basketball, Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance and Humanities and International Studies Program. She has been accepted at the University of California, Los Angeles, and plans to major in applied mathematics.
Scholarship Committee members are Aileen Nishio, Ruth Seo, Irene Uno and Karen Yamamoto (chair).
