Youth Members

Washington, D.C. -- The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) announced that Fellowship applications are available on their Website: www.apaics.org.  The APAICS Fellows are the Anheuser-Busch/Congressman Frank Horton Fellow, the Wal-Mart Stores, Inc./Governor George R. Ariyoshi Fellow and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Fellow.  The latter fellowship is for a post graduate and requires that the person has included in their class studies any housing policies, urban planning, mortgages, etc. The deadline for all fellowships is April 30, 2010.
 
The nine-month program provides an opportunity for APAICS Fellows to be placed in either the Executive or Legislative Branches of government as well as federal agencies, or a non-profit organization in the Washington area.  The fellows will be assigned specific projects in their placement offices.  The NAR Fellow will be placed in an office that specifically has some housing issues which he/she will have an opportunity to work on.  As in the past, NAR advisors and Realtor members will work closely with the NAR Fellow on specific projects and may join with other NAR Fellows from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) and the Congressional Hispanic Institute Caucus (CHCI) in developing a public policy brief.
 
The current APAICS Fellows are assigned as follows:  Meina Banh/Congressman Mike Honda; Anna Chu/Democratic Caucus; and Collin Siu/Congressman Al Green.  Both Banh and Siu are working with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).  The current chair is Congressman Mike Honda.
 
"The APAICS Fellowship Program is an excellent opportunity for API young leaders to gain insight into congressional processes.  Not only is it a great way to network, one gets to work on relevant policy issues," said APAICS 2009-2010 Fellow Meina Banh. 
 
About APAICS
APAICS was founded in 1994 and is a 501 (c)(3), non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization based in Washington, D.C., that seeks to build a politically empowered Asian Pacific American (APA) community to fill the political pipeline for APAs to enter and advance into elected office.  APAICS is also a resource to Congress about the APA community.

The procedures and guidelines for the 2010 JACL Minoru Yasui Oratorical Competition are being distributed to JACL district council governors and chapter presidents to attract participants for the competition that will culminate at the national convention in Chicago.
 
JACL chapters are being asked to identify high school students, age 16 years or older, or full time undergraduate college students who will compete at a JACL district council competition with the winner advancing to the finals at the national convention, which will be held on July 2.
 
The Minoru Yasui Oratorical Competition has been a highlight of the national convention where each of the district council finalists present their 3-5 minute presentation in front of an audience of convention delegates and attendees.  The topic of this year's competition is "Our 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, inspired and motivated a nation with a simple word, 'change.'  As our nation still faces economic turmoil, wars abroad, as well as damaged health care and immigration systems, 'change' has never been more welcome.  What can the Asian Pacific American community and the JACL do to inspire and create change to meet the needs of America's current socio-political landscape?"
 
JACL district councils are being asked to submit the name of their finalist to the national JACL by May 15, 2010.
 
The oratorical competition is named in memory of Yasui, an attorney and civil rights activist.  Prior to the internment, Yasui tested the constitutionality of the curfew orders imposed against Japanese Americans.  During the 1980s, Yasui served as an articulate voice for the JACL's successful campaign for Redress.
 
The oratorical competition was established to encourage and reinforce verbal communication skills among young JACL members.  Finalists will be given roundtrip airfare to Chicago, two nights lodging and attendance at the Youth Luncheon where the winner will be announced.
2010 Competition Guidelines
2010 District Council Procedures
Evaluation Sheet

Every applicant must be an active National JACL member at either an Individual or  Student/Youth Level.  Couple/Family membership by a parent will not meet this requirement.  Applications are available on our website http://www.jacl.org/join.html. For more information about membership categories, please contact the JACL Membership Department at National Headquarters at “mbr@jacl.org”.

Applicants must be planning to attend full time at a college, university, trade school, business school, or any other institution of higher learning within the United States at the undergraduate or graduate school level in the fall of 2010.  Students deferring enrollment will not qualify for the 2010 scholarship program. 

Applicants may apply under only 1 scholarship category. 

Entering Freshman applicants must be high school seniors.  Creative & Performing Arts applicants cannot be professional artists. 

Past recipients of JACL scholarships or awards are limited to a total of two awards.

Only one application need be submitted to qualify for all awards listed in that same category.  Applications will be reviewed for award preferences noted in the brochure.

The following is a condensed list of supporting documents required to complete a JACL Scholarship Application: JACL Membership; Personal Statement; Letter of Recommendation; Official Transcripts including SAT and/or ACT test score verification; Work Experience; and Community Involvement.

For more information or to download the Application, please go to http://jacl.org/edu/scholar.htm.

     The Honolulu Hawaii branch will award $1,000.00 scholarships to honor 5 African Americans with Hawaii ties and serve to perpetuate their legacy to the people of Hawaii and this nation.  Scholarships are named for Alice Agusta Ball, Dr. Alonzo DeMello, Helene Hale, Dr. Donnis Thompson, and William H. Waddell, VDM.  Only 1st and 2nd year college students are eligible.  The scholarships are paid in the fall of each year at the end of September.   The winners will have their dinners paid for by the branch at the Freedom Fund Gala on January 16, 2010. 

Click here for a copy of the scholarship application.  The scholarship application is also available by emailing the branch at naacphawaii@aol.com.  

APIAVote is now accepting applications for interns in the Washington, D.C. office.  The APIAVote Internship Program strives to encourage and cultivate young AAPI student leaders to explore a career in the public sector or the political arena.  This internship program will also provide hands on experience and training on how to organize and implement civic engagement activities to increase the participation of AAPIs in the electoral process.  Click here for an application.

The internship program is tailored per organizational needs and intern skills.  Interns may work on any of the following areas: Communications/Technology (new media and traditional), Field (working with APIAVote partners in field campaigns),  Policy (research and advocate for  policy recommendations), Training (Norman Y. Mineta Leadership Training Institute), or Youth (engaging and organizing our youth coalitions.)

Deadlines: Rolling Deadline - Fall, Winter & Spring Internships