Art Award
Henjyoji Japanese Cultural Art Award
Every school year, the Henjyoji Shingon Buddhist Temple invites students to submit their art for a scholarship award. For the upcoming school year, the temple is offering one scholarship award of $1500.
Criteria
Applicant must be a senior high school student who has enrolled in college for the upcoming school year. Applicant or their parent(s)/guardian(s) must be a member of one of the temple's partner organizations as listed on the application form. Applicant must also be a resident of Clackamas, Multnomah or Washington counties in Oregon or Clark County in Washington. Applications are due March 5.
History
The Henjyoji Japanese Art Award was established by the family of the late Rev. Kazuko Wako Henjyoji, our temple's matriach, in recognition of her lifetime of service strengthening cultural ties between the United States and Japan. She was devoted to education, and taught Japanese and Americans alike, both the art of Ikebana flower arranging and the art of Japanese tea ceremony. This award memorializes Rev. Kazuko Wako Henjyoji's peace efforts through artistic expression and multicultural connections. We invite all applicants to contemplate how their art can take this sentiment of diverse community connections to a new level relevant to their own lives and communities.
To apply for the Japanese Cultural Art Award from the temple, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/gGB7sqFvH8PNP2Ap8
Download the PDF for a Printable Version of the Application
Although we prefer the application to be submitted online, we recognize this may not be suitable for all applicants. If you need to print a hardcopy, please download a printable version, shared below.
More Scholarship Opportunities
For more scholarship opportunities, please visit: https://www.pdxjacl.org/scholarships/
Congratulations to the 2021-22 Winner: Matthew Aizawa
This year we are proud to announce that Matthew Aizawa is the recipient of our award.
Mathew practices Shorinji Kempo which is a Japanese martial art considered to be a modified version of Shaolin Kung Fu. The name Shorinji Kempo is the Japanese reading of Shàolín Quánfa. It was established in 1947 by Doshin So, a Japanese martial artist and former military intelligence agent who lived in China for many years before and during World War II. Mathew began practicing Shorinji Kempo when he was in kindergarten and attained a black belt in 2015.
Congratulations to the 2020-21 Winners
For this particular school year, the Art Award Committee was able to offer four applicants an award of $750 each.
By Francis Sumida Palk, Art Award Committee Chair
Copied with permission from:
https://www.pdxjacl.org/scholarships/the-2020-japanese-community-scholarship-recipients/
Alexander Masog
Scappoose High School
Expected Major: Psychology
Alexander is an outstanding varsity athlete, hockey, swim team, football varsity and a first chair trumpet player and lead singer in Shrek playing the role of Donkey. Alexander is known for his musical abilities. He has also attained a first degree black belt in Taekwondo and Japanese sword.
Emiko Wingren
Sandy High School
Major: Arts and Fine Arts
Minor: Education
Awards
Emiko has received Scholastic Art and Writing Award
2018 NW Oregon Conference Art Competition
Emiko is actively involved in the Oregon Buddhist Temple. She also draws and is interested in photography. She plans to be an art teacher.
Mito Dennise Smith
Grant High School
Major: Art Design at Rhode Island Art of Design
Awards
2019 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, at Pacific NW College of Arts, both in Gold and Silver Categories
Her Grant Counselor, Amy Gervais, wrote that Mito shows "incredible artistic vision, ability to communicate, and strong work ethic," all of which "make her deserving of your scholarship and have earned her my highest recommendation.”
As a Member of Epworth Methodist Church youth group, she helped lovingly fold 10,000 Tsuru for Solidarity for each NW person incarcerated in the World War II camps. She is co-president of Grant High Asian Pacific Islander Alliance.
Mito wrote: “From a young age, I've been fascinated by the traditional arts surrounding my Japanese background. In my free time, I've ventured in Shi yuji and Sumi-e. I've admired the traditional colors, patterns, and tales seen on Kimono, manga, and Mokuhanga.[I draw] inspiration from all ranges of art forms from my multicultural background.”
Nicholas Shibata
Sunset High School
Major: Biology
Nicholas is a member of the Epworth United Methodist Church.
Nicholas has tutored in chemistry, history, anatomy and Japanese language arts. He has volunteered in community services scouting activities such as trail-and-shed building and demolition.
He folds beautiful origami pieces. “I relate to the modern and contemporary styles of origami. Examples are of modular origami, created from multiple identical pieces to create a 3 dimensional structure. Been practicing for 17 years, altering the patterns to create new forms. Final example of work is called “firework” which combines 3 colored papers, flipped inside out to show distinguishing pattern of colors, such as a firework changes colors. It brings me to the cultural significance this art form has to me, family and friends of whom I have gifted with the origami.”
He is a member of Asian American Alliance, an after school interest group, studying Asian culture through food, language and cultural understanding. Nicholas is a member of the Japanese National Honor Society.