(back row, left to right) Sylvie Hana Shiosaki, Yuna Marie Nishimoto; (front row, left to right) Taryn Lee Imanishi, Heidi Sachi Iha, Nicole Ruriko Lee
The 2012 participants of the Japanese Queen Scholarship Organization of Washington were presented at the Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival. This is the organization’s 53rd year of offering scholarships, awards, and opportunities to enhance cultural awareness to young women in the state of Washington. This year’s participants are students from local colleges who were judged and selected on the basis of their academic achievements, leadership skills, community involvement, personal accomplishments, self-expression, communication skills, and creativity. The participants include Heidi Sachi Iha of Highline Community College, Taryn Lee Imanishi of Bellevue College, Nicole Ruriko Lee of City University of Seattle, Sylvie Hana Shiosaki of UW, and Yuna Marie Nishimoto of UW Bothell. The Japanese Queen Scholarship Celebration will take place on May 27, 7 p.m., at the Meydenbauer Center, where a finalist will be given titles of both Japanese Queen of Washington and the Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival Queen. (end)