Christine Leung (front right) celebrates winning the 2010 JETAANC scholarship with her brother Bobby and JET Alumni Michael Snyder, Lenore Espanola, Andrew Hattori, and Douglas Shelton.
The JET Alumni Association of Northern California recently awarded its annual scholarship to Christine Leung, a graduate of Millbrae’s Mills High School. Christine is the second scholarship winner in a row to graduate from Mills.
Throughout her high school career, Christine pursued her passion for Japanese language and culture while maintaining a demanding course load. She took Japanese language courses every year, rounding out her Japan-focused studies with AP Japanese, which focused on Japan’s language and culture, her senior year. High marks in the courses contributed to Christine’s impressive grade point average in a curriculum that also also included challenging science courses and band.
While in high school, Christine volunteered as a host for visiting Japanese students, taking the opportunity to expose her guests to such mainstays of American culture as s’mores, fast food and roller coasters. Christine also capitalized on the opportunity to learn about Japanese culture, knowledge that served her well while she served as president of Mills High School’s Japanese Cultural Club in her senior year. She also served as president and vice president of the Japanese National Honor Society.
“Christine’s efforts to find outlets for her interest in Japan and for sharing that passion with others were impressive,” said Andrew Hattori, JETAANC board member and scholarship evaluation committee member. “I am sure she’ll continue to build her expertise while in college and we’re pleased that the JETAANC scholarship will play a role in encouraging her pursuit.”
Christine entered the University of California-San Diego this fall. She plans to major in Japanese Studies and is considering a double major in Chinese.
The JETAANC scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate an interest in Japan’s language and culture. Applicants are evaluated on academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, personal essays and letters of recommendation. The scholarship is in its eighth year.