Congratulations to Hicksville High School freshman, Faiqa Ali, for winning the High School Division Best Essay Award in the Japan Center Essay Competition. Ali will be presented with a $3,000 check, an award certificate and a Canon camera from the Japan Center at Stony Brook.
This marked the Center’s 16th Essay Competition sponsored by Canon U.S.A. Contestants write about some aspect of Japan in relation to their personal views, experiences and/or future goals with the goal of promoting awareness and global understanding.
(Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District)
In her award-winning essay, “Kaka Murad: A Tale of Ikigai,” Ali retells a story as told to her by her mother. It highlights how a Japanese physician working with Afghani refugees in Pakistan saved the life of her mother’s sister, who was dying of typhoid fever.
(Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District)
Hicksville High School freshman Melanie Unger was recognized as a semifinalist in the competition. In her essay, “Secrets of Omotenashi: Hidden But Heartwarming,” Unger wrote about her experience during an extended stay in Japan which resulted in a lasting friendship and appreciation for aspects of Japanese life and culture.
-Submitted by the Hicksville School District
