About
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Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program is a six-month leadership development and cultural education program for high school students. The Program is designed to develop leadership skills and cultural awareness that can be used by the students in school, in their careers, and in service to their communities.
Participants will learn:
Participants will have an opportunity to apply their skills by completing a group project—the annual Rising Stars Miniature Golf Tournament at Camelot Golfland in Anaheim. They will also participate in such cultural activities as a Little Tokyo Scavenger Hunt and a tour of the Go For Broke National Education Center and a Walking Tour of Little Tokyo. |
Location Union Church of Los Angeles Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles Date Saturdays 8:30AM - 4PM October 11, 2025 - April 11, 2026 (Rising Stars 22) Schedule for Rising Stars 22 - October 11: “Team Dynamics” workshop - October 25: Beach Outing - November 15: “Assertiveness” workshop - December 13: "Speak to Inspire" workshop - January 10: "Cultural Awareness" workshop - January 24: “Japanese American Heritage” workshop - February 7: "Networking" workshop - February 21: Group Project & College Life 101 - March 7: Final Group Project Event - March 21: Review Session & Social Outing - April 11: Culmination Structure The program consists of six interactive workshops conducted by professional trainers with extensive corporate and community leadership development experience. Students also plan and execute a group project, as well as participate in cultural activities and social activities. |
Alumni
Bryce Koga, Rising Stars 19
I am a 12th grader at Geffen Academy at UCLA. Rising Stars has had an undeniable impact on who I am today. The program gave me the skills to carry myself confidently and professionally. It has helped me in my daily interactions, allowing me opportunities to make a community impact, and to become a leader at school. Since the program, I no longer feel as nervous as I did in public speaking, and am more comfortable working with people.
The skills I’ve learned in Rising Stars follow me nearly everywhere I go. As my school's Junior Classical League Chapter President, I apply lessons from the Speak to Persuade and Networking workshops by making engaging presentations for our members and work with school administrators to hold school-wide events. From the Team Dynamics and Networking workshops, I’ve applied what I learned in my side job as a parts advisor where I work with shippers and customers to ensure that customers receive their parts on schedule and that shippers can provide adequate inventory for our own stock. In my personal life, Rising Stars has also helped me learn more about my heritage and myself by allowing me to work with, and understand, others with seemingly opposed personalities. In the Japanese American Heritage workshop, I learned about how much adversity our community leaders had to overcome in the wake of WWII. During the Cultural Awareness workshop, I understood where some of the traits I have come from. Not only do I better understand myself and my identity as a Japanese American, but by knowing my tendencies, I can make a conscious effort to continue or break these habits when networking or working with others. However, perhaps most importantly is that Rising Stars has brought me closer to my community, as it was the catalyst in my becoming as involved as I am today. Now, I often find myself spending time at the community center, volunteering with one of the many Japanese American organizations, or returning to help the next classes of Rising Stars students. Through working with the students, I further hone my skills as I review their press releases or listen to their solicitations. Through the process, it ensures that I have a good grasp on the concepts. After all, in order to teach others about a concept, you have to understand it yourself! Rising Stars has helped me grow and become the person I am today. I now have a deeper appreciation for my heritage, the confidence and skills to publicly speak, and the ability to lead large teams. Not only have I gained these skills that I will take with me through college and my future career as an engineer, but I have become closer to my community and have met so many amazing mentors and friends. |
Kalea Oshidari, Rising Stars 20
As I stood in Union Church, I scanned across a room full of Japanese American students, only one being able to communicate in their mother tongue. Like many in that room and across the U.S., I don't know a lick of Japanese, and neither does my father, nor his parents who all grew and continue to be Japanese Americans. I stood there, believing I was American Japanese.
This Saturday, Mr. Kurt Ikeda, after a quick round of Radio Taiso, I began to peel back the skin of the orange I called life, like the oranges old man Koji peeled before his incarceration during World War II. I learned that after this traumatic event, many Japanese Americans tried their hardest to forget their culture. They abandoned the memories, and the language, and instead adopted shoes on their indoor carpets. My grandparents didn't speak Japanese to blend, my parents didn't speak Japanese because their parents wanted to keep them safe, and I didn't speak Japanese, after a couple of generations, it was too late. My dad, when I first learned of the incarceration of my grandparents, explained to me that he too, was unaware that his father and mother were imprisoned at birth, and that they had rarely mentioned it when he was growing up. I found it strange—how could you keep such a secret to yourself; how could you not tell your child about the tragedies of you ancestors?—until I realized, this conversation never would have come up if I hadn't asked, and my father was in fact, keeping the same secrets his parents kept from him, from me. Throughout the workshop, and the Japanese American Heritage workshop with Mitch Maki and Robert Horsting I realized my peers had the same knowledge I did, or lack thereof. It began to make me think, does every decision I make occur because I'm Japanese American? How many experiences do I share with these people I've barely met? We began to fill out this questionnaire, "THE ORIGINAL 101 WAYS TO TELL YOU'RE JAPANESE AMERICAN By Tony Osumi and Jenni Kuida." I flew down the list, checkmark after checkmark and I watched, in awe as the people around me did the same. I never met another person who knew the virtues of spam or put leftover rice in a Cool Whip container. I sat, staring at the singular grape that rolled ruefully in our community grape bowl, knowing I wouldn't dare to take the last one as I and each person next to me checked off, "101. As much as you want it, never ever take the last anything. Enryo, enryo, enryo." As I reflected on my own family history and the silent narratives carried by my grandparents and parents, I began to appreciate the weight of their unspoken burdens and significance of their silence. It became not just a list, but a mirror reflecting shared experiences, values, and quirks that bind us together as a community. Moving forward, I carry with me a deeper appreciation for the cultural heritage that shapes my identity as a Japanese American. I am inspired to continue this journey of self-discovery and cultural preservation. |
Jin Hart, Rising Stars 21
I'm an 11th grader from South Torrance High School. I’d like to share my experience in this truly transformative program – Rising Stars.
I still remember waking up at 7 AM for the very first Rising Stars meeting – tired, nervous, and unsure of what to expect. I was excited to meet new people and try something different. . . but I kept wondering, “What exactly am I going to learn here?” I can confidently say: this has been one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve had in high school. Through Rising Stars, I gained leadership skills, confidence, cultural awareness – all things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. One of the most influential workshops was the networking workshop where we learned not only important networking skills, but also effective communication as I found myself using some of the things I learned in everyday life. We didn’t just learn how to shake hands and introduce ourselves, we learned how to truly connect. The skills we practiced stuck with me. I found myself using them in everyday conversations, building confidence in ways I didn’t expect. But what really made it memorable was the networking luncheon, where we practiced those skills with real professionals. Another workshop that had a huge impact on me was the Assertiveness Workshop. We learned how often people default to being either passive or aggressive in conversation – without realizing there’s a more effective middle ground. Being assertive isn’t about being loud or forceful – it’s about standing your ground with clarity and respect. After that workshop, I felt like something clicked. I started speaking with more confidence. I joined discussions I would have normally shied away from. And it didn’t feel forced – it felt natural. Culturally, Rising Stars opened my eyes in ways I didn’t expect. As someone who’s half Japanese and half English, and born in Japan, I didn’t grow up deeply immersed in Japanese American culture. So when we visited the Go For Broke National Education Center and explored Little Tokyo during the scavenger hunt, I was blown away by the richness of the history I hadn’t fully known before. One of the most powerful moments was listening to Mitch Maki’s presentation about the internment camps. The way he described them. . . it felt like something out of a horror movie. Then he asked the audience: “How many of you have family members who were in these camps?” I thought maybe one or two hands would go up. But almost a third of the room raised their hands. That moment hit me hard. It made me realize how deeply this history runs in Japanese American families, and how important it is that we remember it. The Go For Broke Center also left a lasting impression. One display had a machine that shared the personal stories of Nisei Soldiers, many of whom were of full Japanese descent. Despite being sent to internment camps by the very country they lived in, they still chose to fight for America. That’s not just patriotism. That’s strength. That’s resilience. That’s character. It made me incredibly proud of my heritage. Another highlight for me was the Miniature Golf Tournament. The Tournament was solid proof of the tremendous impact Rising Stars had on me. Watching all of our hard work turn into a successful event was proof of how much we’d grown. It wasn’t just a fun day, it was a celebration of everything we learned: teamwork, leadership, communication. And above all, the people I met during this journey made it unforgettable. The friends I made in Rising Stars 21 helped me grow just by being themselves. Talking to people from different backgrounds and with different personalities helped me open up, step out of my comfort zone, and become a better communicator. Today, I can proudly say: I have friends all across L.A. and I know our paths will cross again. From the natto we definitely enjoyed during the scavenger hunt to Craig Ishii’s beautiful hair to watching the Dodgers game at the beach, Rising Stars has become one of the highlights of my high school journey. |
Kara Tanaka, Rising Stars 10
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Reflecting on my professional and academic journey, I am so grateful for the skills and opportunities that the Rising Stars program has provided for me. I joined Rising Stars knowing that I would learn important leadership skills such as public speaking, financial planning, and cultural values; however, Rising Stars was so much more than just a series of leadership skills workshops. It was a safe environment where I could practice these leadership skills knowing that the other participants and organizers were by my side.
One particular workshop that stands out to me was the public speaking workshop. We were given a couple minutes to prepare a short speech and were then asked to present in front of a group of people and a camera. Later, we watched the videos and the presenter gave us individualized feedback on how we could improve our public speaking. It was a challenging thing to do--especially since I was shy at that age--but I wasn’t nervous or embarrassed. I knew that everyone in the Rising Stars program was there to support me. Additionally, Rising Stars helped me in my college application process. One of the workshops was a College Life panel where college Rising Stars alumni from a variety of schools throughout California spoke and answered questions about their experiences. Even after the panel and the program, I knew that I had mentors I could reach out to with questions about getting into college and succeeding in college. I continue to use the skills that Rising Stars taught me to this day. When I lead board meetings for college clubs, I consider how other people will respond to my leadership style and adapt to better accomplish the group’s goals. When I make presentations in class, I think about how I can use body language to supplement my message. At socials with partners and other professionals at accounting firms, I draw upon the interpersonal skills I bolstered during the networking workshop. Rising Stars is an extraordinary program, and I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in it. |
Application
Applications for Rising Stars 22 (2025-2026) are now being accepted...click here to apply
A maximum of 24 students will be selected to participate in the program.
Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Cost
$300 (Paid after acceptance into program)
Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks will be provided.
A maximum of 24 students will be selected to participate in the program.
Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Ability to complete the full program.
- Interest in further involvement with Japanese American community organizations.
- Willingness to cultivate an ongoing relationship with the Japanese American community.
Cost
$300 (Paid after acceptance into program)
Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks will be provided.
