Compiled by Andrew Kim
Northwest Asian Weekly
From left: Emily Okawara, Molly Turner, Leah Shin, and Kathleen Chen
Each year, the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation offers scholarships for extraordinary students who contribute and play a part in promoting diversity in our community. Here is a sampling of a few of our many exceptional nominations:
Emily Okawara, Kentridge High School
“Emily is an outstanding academic student who also helped start the Japanese Heritage Club at Kentridge. She challenges herself with Honors and AP courses but still maintains a 4.0 GPA. In doing so, Emily has earned the respect of her teachers and she is considered to be a leader who takes initiative. At an early age, Emily had to struggle with the complexity of her multi-cultural background but now understands/appreciates her unique background. Her struggles have helped her grow into a responsible, respectful, and self-confident student who has a genuine appreciation for diversity.”
Molly Turner, Bellarmine Prepatory School
“Molly is a unique student who has achieved success in leadership, academics, and music. She is a creative genius who composes musical scores and participates in the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association. Molly’s passionate work ethic is demonstrated by her high ranking chair in the Youth Symphony and her willingness to go the extra mile to volunteer with other orchestras and teach others. She has also demonstrated her ability to be comfortable in advanced classes where she constantly seeks improvement and welcomes critical feedback.”
Leah Shin, Henry M. Jackson High School
“With great energy and thought, Leah spearheaded the creation of the Literacy for Love club at Henry M. Jackson High School. Literacy for Love provides reading related services to students of all ages and distributes books to underserved populations. Leah’s activities in creating the club have led to seventy active student members, collection of over $50,000 for a book drive, and a partnership with the Big Brother/Big Sister program. She has also leveraged her own experiences as a former English Language Learner (ELL) to create programs to help current ELL students.
These include finding different ways to engage ELL students with teachers and students and promoting literacy by matching reading levels and small incentives.
She participates in the monthly University of Washington Young Executive of Color business sessions, and captaining the Varsity Girls’ Golf team. She also serves as the Senior Class President and on the City of Mill Creek’s Youth Advisory Board as Activities Director.”
Kathleen Chen, Interlake High School
“Kathleen is an exceptional student who is conscientious and hardworking. She currently works with the American Immigration Forums to share the voice of immigrants, provide education on immigration policy, and advocate for an immigration policy which aligns with the people in America. Kathleen also works with Families with Children from China, an organization that helps adopted Chinese children experience Chinese culture. Kathleen is a leader who is committed to cross-cultural diversity and awareness in our community.” (end)
Andrew Kim can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.