Individual Memorial Awards

2012 Gary Lee Higa Friendship Award and DBT Judo Sensei Memorial Scholarship

  1. ELIGIBILITY:A candidate must meet one of the following:
    • A graduating high school senior residing in the Denver Metropolitan area who is either an American citizen of Japanese ancestry or an American citizen who’s legal parent(s) is/are of Japanese ancestry, or
    • A graduating high school senior of Japanese ancestry residing in the Denver Metropolitan area who has permanent resident status (INS documentation) in the United States, or
    • A graduating high school senior who has a parent who is an active member of: Mile Hi Chapter Japanese American Citizens’ League, Simpson United Methodist Church, Tri-State / Denver Buddhist Temples, Denver Nisei Bowling Association, Brighton Japanese American Association, Japanese Association of Colorado, Nisei Veterans’ Heritage Foundation, Japanese Firms Association of Colorado, or Fort Lupton Japanese American Citizens’ League.
  2. JUDGING:The Gary Lee Higa Friendship Award and the DBT Judo Sensei Memorial Award are separate awards. Each award is judged separately by an independent panel of judges. Requirements for each award are on the individual application forms.
  3. REQUIRED FORMS:Requirements are on the individual application forms.
  4. DEADLINE:Requirements are on the individual application forms.

Gary Lee Higa Friendship Award

The Gary Lee Higa Friendship Award was founded in the fall of 1981 after he was tragically killed in an automobile accident by a drunken driver. A group of close friends and family created this award as an ongoing memorial to Gary and to the meaning of friendship.

The following must be submitted to apply for this award:

  1. Expressive work
  2. A copy of your high school transcript and
  3. this completed application form.

The expressive work can be a short essay, poetry, visual art, music, etc., using “Friendship” as the theme. The expressive work is the major criteria because Gary valued friendship. Should the judging committee find it difficult to decide upon the recipient of the award, your school records and a list of school activities, community activities, awards and honors will be used in the final decision. Short essays or poetry should be printed legibly or typewritten. If your work is in the form of visual art, submit a photograph, tape, CD or DVD. No personal interviews will be scheduled.

All expressive works must be labeled, as an original or else must properly name the original source. With your expressive work, please submit a brief explanation of how your work conveys the idea of friendship. All expressive work will become the property of the scholarship committee.

DBT Judo Dojo Sensei Memorial Scholarship

In conjunction with over fifty years of Judo in the Rocky Mountain region and the deepest respect, the Denver Buddhist Temple Judo Dojo hereby reinstates the principles of the previous Judo scholarship, the Denver School of Judo – Fred Noboru Okimoto Memorial Scholarship, by establishing the DBT Judo Dojo Sensei Memorial Scholarship in memory of the Senseis who have taught and promoted the sport of Judo in the community and the Rocky Mountain region: Mr. William Chikuma, Dr. Takeshi Ito, Dr. Yoshi Ito, Mr. George Kuramoto, Mr. Fred Noboru Okimoto, Mr. Albert Tagawa, and Mr. Tooru Takamatsu.

These Senseis have founded and nurtured the Denver Judo Dojo, Denver School of Judo, and DBT Judo Dojo to where they were/are nationally and internationally known for its facilities, Senseis, Judo Champions, and most importantly for its contributions to furthering the progress of the sport.

It is with great honor and heartfelt appreciation that this scholarship is given to the youth of our community to perpetuate the idealism that is the “Sport of Judo” in memory of the Senseis who earnestly promoted Judo in the Japanese American community.

Therefore, a primary qualification for this scholarship is the number of years that the applicant has been enrolled in a recognized Judo Dojo in the Rocky Mountain region and support of Judo and its ideology.

The following must be submitted to apply for this award:

  1. Letter from your Judo Dojo Sensei verifying enrollment, participation, and volunteerism at Judo events along with supporting documents such as tournament records.
  2. A copy of your high school transcript, and
  3. The completed application form, including a one page typed essay.

Longevity of enrollment, participation, and volunteerism in Judo will weigh heavily in the final decision. Your school records and a list of school and community activities and awards, along with your response to the essay question, will also be used in the final decision. No personal interviews will be scheduled.

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