Manzanar Committee Presents 2nd Annual Student Awards – Photos

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GARDENA, CA — On May 20, the Manzanar Committee presented its Second Annual Student Awards to 15 students during a celebration at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute in Gardena, California.

The Student Awards Program is a creative works program in which K-12 students may submit essays, short stories, poetry, works of art, including drawings, collages, posters, and works involving technology, including animation, podcasts, movies or videos that demonstrate an understanding of his/her guiding principles of social justice in today’s society.

Second Annual Student Awards Recipients

Grade 3-5 – Written Works
First Place – Sara Omura

Grade 6-8 – Written Works
First Place – Name withheld due to privacy request
Second Place – Karina Ventura

Visual Arts – Individual
First Place – Emely Martinez
Second Place – Ashley Mejia
Third Place – Jose Arevalo
Honorable Mention – Eliseo Hernandez

Visual Arts – Group
First Place – Mia Blanco, Valeria Murillo, Jasmine Olivares, Bruno Silva
Second Place – Alexa Castro, Silvia Castro, Elizabeth Salvador

You can see photos from the event below.

LEAD PHOTO: Some of the recipients of the Manzanar Committee’s Second Annual Student Awards. Photo: Gann Matsuda/Manzanar Committee.

Photos by Gann Matsuda, ©2017 Manzanar Committee. All rights reserved. Two photos by Debra Hawley, ©2017 Debra Hawley. All rights reserved. Click on any photo to view a larger image, and to scroll/click through the gallery.

One of the winning entries in the 2nd Annual Student Awards Program

Two of the winning entries in the 2nd Annual Student Awards Program

One of the winning entries in the 2nd Annual Student Awards Program

Jeanna Tang (left) and Wendi Yamashita (right)

Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano addresses the audience during the 2nd Annual Student Awards Program

Jenny Chomori (left) and Colleen Miyano (right)

Student Awards recipient Sara Omura

Student Awards recipient Sara Omura with Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano

Student Awards recipient Emely Martinez with Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano

Student Awards recipient Ashley Mejia with Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano

Student Awards recipient Eliseo Hernandez with Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano

Student Awards recipient Valeria Murillo with Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano

Student Awards recipients Elizabeth Salvador (left) and Alexa Castro (center) with Manzanar Committee member Colleen Miyano

Honorable Tasha Cerda, Mayor, City of Gardena (right) greets the audience, with Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Jenny Chomori (left)

Time to raffle off some great prizes!

A very young raffle winner!

A young raffle winner!

A very young raffle winner!

Just the first of the raffle prizes won by Sara Omura (left), shown here with Manzanar Committee member Kerry Cababa

A very young raffle winner!

A young raffle winner!

Sara Omura (left) with her second raffle prize win of the day, shown here with Manzanar Committee member Vicky Perez

Emely Martinez (left) with her raffle prize, shown here with Manzanar Committee member Kerry Cababa

Sara Omura (left) with her third raffle prize win of the day, shown here with Manzanar Committee member Vicky Perez

Ashley Mejia (left) with her raffle prize, shown here with Manzanar Committee member Kerry Cababa

The fourth of the raffle prizes won by Sara Omura (right), shown here with Manzanar Committee member Kerry Cababa

A very young raffle winner!—the Mejia Famiiy

Misao Chomori (left) with her first raffle prize of the day, shown here with Vicky Perez

Cliff Kusaba (right) with his raffle prize, shown here with Vicky Perez

Misao Chomori (left) with her second raffle prize of the day, shown here with Vicky Perez

Jeanna Tang (right) with her second raffle prize, shown here with Kerry Cababa

Alexa Castro (center) with her raffle prize, shown here with Vicky Perez (left) and Kerry Cababa (right)

Sara Omura with Gardena Mayor Tasha Cerda

Student Awards recipient Eliseo Hernandez with Gardena Mayor Tasha Cerda

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