JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOLARSHIP "AURORA" FOUNDATION Announces the 7th Annual Scho

larship Winners

February 7, 2006
For Immediate Release
Press contact: Aurora Foundation
Tel: (323) 882-6545
Fax: (323) 969-9425
Los Angeles - The Aurora Japanese Language Scholarship Foundation is pleased to
announce their seventh scholarship winners, Ms. Rebecca Armstrong and Mr. Dan Ca
rolin. The primary goal of the Aurora Foundation is to assist United States cit
izens, who are either Japanese language teachers or graduate students of Japanes
e language education, to experience living in Japan and have the opportunity to
participate in various educational programs during their stay to further their u
nderstanding of the Japanese language and culture. Two winners receive a $3,000
scholarship and roundtrip air tickets from the USA to Japan (coach class).
To welcome the two recipients of the JLSF scholarships, the Aurora Foundation is
holding the Aurora Foundation Benefit Dinner & Auction in Los Angeles in Autumn
2006 (date TBD). There will also be a benefit auction (live & silent) which is
a fundraising event for the Aurora Foundation (EIN: 31-1639219).

Dan Carolin first visited Japan in 1989 as an AET on the JET program in Ina-shi,
Nagano-ken. He quickly grew fascinated with Japan and has returned to live in
there twice since that time, spending two years in Chiba-ken and six years in Yo
kohama. In between stints in Japan he continued his study of Japanese and taugh
t Japanese language and culture to middle and high school students in New York a
nd Indiana. While living in Chiba and Yokohama he took up the study of Aikido,
eventually attaining the rank of San-dan. In 2005, he completed the University
of Sheffield's Masters of Arts in Advanced Japanese Studies, a distance learning
course.
Dan currently teaches at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he als
o teaches Aikido lessons after school and sponsors the Japanese club. In 2005,
he invited two exchange students from Japan to assist with instruction and to gi
ve Kennedy students an opportunity to practice speaking Japanese with a native s
peaker, and to learn about Japanese culture from the perspective of a Japanese t
een. He is also currently in the process of forming a statewide association for
Japanese teachers in Iowa. Since he is firmly convinced that foreign language
learners should be afforded every opportunity to use their skills in conversatio
ns outside of the classroom, he plans to set up a sister school relationship wit
h a high school in Japan while in Japan summer in 2006 for his Aurora Foundation
project. As part of his plan he also intends to obtain authentic Japanese mate
rials (manga, anime, etc.) of interest to American high school students, as well
as produce several DVD's that will allow American students to get a glimpse of
the daily lives of Japanese high school students, featuring footage of important
historical landmarks, tourist destinations around Japan, and expose the student
s to a variety of cultural curiosities.
Throughout his time in Japan summer in 2006 he plans to spend time studying Aiki
do at the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu Dojo in Shinjuku in an effort to hone his skill
s before offering classes to students and residents in the Cedar Rapids school c
ommunity.
NOTE: Unfortunately, for personal reasons Rebecca Armstrong (Becky) had to dec
line the scholarship award. The Aurora Foundation wishes her good luck for the f
uture with her work and studies. 7/10/2006
Dr. Akiko Agishi, Founder & President of the Aurora Foundation, is a former Fulb
right scholar and graduate of UCLA and is happy to have the opportunity to share
her dream with young educators. "The youth of today remain our hope for tomorro
w and I believe we must all do our part to help prepare them."
For more information, including sponsorship, please contact the Aurora Foundatio
n at (323) 882-6545 or by e-mail at AuroraFoundation@usa.net. Please check the J
LSF website at www.jlsf-aurora.org.
6th annual scholarship winners (2005)
5th annual scholarship winners (2004)
4th annual scholarship winners (2003)
3rd annual scholarship winners (2002)
2nd annual scholarship winners (2001)