San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center

Valley Japanese CC
Ondo Practice
Fridays and Tuesdays
Starting June 1– June 19
7 PM—9 PM
Participants need to wear
comfortable clothes/shoes
and bring a Tenugui,
Kachi kachi and Uchiwa.
Athletics Scholarship Recipients
Continued from page 7.
8
June Kageyama
Continued from Front Page.
Like many businesses, community
membership has also been
decreasing. So, June passionately
supported the Valley Buddhist
Dharma School as President for over
ten years, always trying to recruit
new members to revive and
preserve the traditions. In 1979, she
helped to expand and build the new
classrooms for the Valley Japanese
Community Center. June is thrilled
that her oldest grandson, Troy just
started Valley Gakuen where she will
continue to instill our Japanese
values for the next generation. She is
grateful for the many wonderful
individuals working together to
strengthen the foundation that was
laid before them.
Throughout the years, her services
and membership have included
Valley Gakuen PTA President, Valley
Dharma School President, Valley
Japanese Community Center Chair-
Person of Social Affairs, Valley
Fujinkai, Nishi Hongwanji, Zenshuju,
San Fernando Valley Community
Center and Athletics and Kyodo
System Japanese Language School.
We proudly support this strong,
sensitive, and well respected lady
who is looking forward to celebrating
VJCC’s sixtieth anniversary.
Nikki stated “Being an assistant coach for the children has been an incredible
experience. I enjoy being able to influence the girls in a positive way both on
and off the court. I’m grateful for the SFVJACC Athletics program because it
helped instill qualities and values that I’m proud of and has allowed me to be an
active member in my Japanese American community.”
The winner of the Wayne Yamamoto Memorial Scholarship is Ryan Yoshida,
the son of Rick & Julie Yoshida. Ryan has been a member of the SFVJACC
Athletics for 12 years, playing basketball beginning as a 5 year old sure shot
through his current 12 th grade team, the Magic. He was a 4 year member of the
Granada Hills Charter High School Academic Honors Program with a 3.6 GPA,
and also received the Frosh/Soph and JV MVP basketball award. Ryan was
also a member of the Varsity basketball team. Ryan states “The SFVJACC
Athletics program has shaped my life throughout elementary school to middle
school and high school. It has taught me about life, about trying new things, and
about meeting new people. I am truly honored to have been a part of this
program and will never forget the memories and ideas that I have experienced
or the people that I have met.” Ryan will be attending UC Riverside as an
undeclared major.