Rising Stars Leadership Program 20 participants at the Miniature Golf Fundraiser on March 2 at Golfland in Anaheim. (Photo Cyril Nishimoto)

By MASON OKU, Rising Stars 20 Participant

The Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program is now accepting applications for its 21st annual program. Any interested high school student can apply now online.

Rising Stars is a seven-month program that takes place on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Union Church in Little Tokyo. It begins on Oct. 12, 2024 and ends on April 5, 2025, and sessions occur every other week.

During this program, high school students are taught important leadership skills such as team dynamics, assertiveness, speaking with purpose, and networking. This is taught through interactive workshops conducted by professional trainers.

Vanna Novak conducts her “Speaking to Persuade” workshop, one of the favorites of the Rising Stars program. (Photo Cyril Nishimoto)

Students are also encouraged to embrace and become more involved in the Japanese American community through workshops focusing on cultural awareness and Japanese American heritage. There are off-site events such as a beach outing, Little Tokyo scavenger hunt, and tours of the Go For Broke National Education Center and Japanese American National Museum.

Throughout the program the students are also planning and preparing for a major fundraiser at the end of the year, the Rising Stars Annual Mini Golf Tournament at Camelot Golfland in Anaheim.

“I really enjoy the workshops and engaging with my peers. The Rising Stars program has taught me valuable skills, and helped me form strong connections with other students that will last me a lifetime. It has also encouraged me to become more involved in the Japanese American community.” — Kalea Oshidari, RS 20 participant

The Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program teaches life skills that participants will need in their future daily lives and professional careers. The workshop that was most important to me was the networking workshop. It teaches students how to introduce themselves to new people, how to speak with them, and how to leave conversations. Then, the students are given the opportunity to speak with various professionals and practice the skills they just learned.

A family affair, rain or shine, at the Miniature Golf Fundraiser in March 2022. (Photo Cyril Nishimoto)

Before the networking workshop, I always had trouble with meeting and having conversations with new people, but now I don’t really feel that pressure anymore. A big thing that I took away from this was how to politely leave a conversation, because it would always get so awkward when I would run out of things to talk about.

The most important thing I learned from this workshop was how to shake hands. I never realized how important a firm handshake really is, and every time I’m about to shake hands with someone I say in my head, “Nobody likes holding a wet fish.”

Participants go one-on-one with Hiroshima member and NEA Award recipient June Kuramoto at the “Networking” workshop. (Photo Cyril Nishimoto)

Risisng Stars 21 Session dates:

– Oct. 12: “Team Dynamics” workshop

– Oct. 26: Beach outing

– Nov. 9: “Assertiveness” workshop

– Nov. 23: “Speaking with Purpose” workshop

– Dec. 14: Japanese American Heritage workshop

– Jan. 4: “Cultural Awareness” workshop

– Jan. 18: Group project and College Life 101

– Feb. 8: “Networking” workshop

– March 1: Final group project event

– March 15: Review session and social outing

– April 5: Culmination

The application deadline is Sept. 8. Applications can be completed online by going to: https://www.risingstarsylp.org/application.html 

For information, call (213) 254-5722, email [email protected] or visit the website at www.risingstarsylp.org.

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Mason Oku was a Rising Stars 20 participant and is currently in the 12th grade at Palisades Charter High School. He plays on the school basketball team and the West L.A. team and assists at Obon booths. Mason is a member of his school’s Asian Student Union club and Helping Hands, which helps provide school supplies to needy students.