The Japan Center of Stony Brook recently held its 20th Annual Essay Competition awards ceremony, supported by Canon U.S.A. The event took place on May 4 and aimed to promote cultural diversity and inclusion among young Americans. A total of 221 essays from various high schools and colleges in the New York metropolitan area were evaluated by the Japan Center committee and faculty members. The final decisions were endorsed by two honorary judges: Ambassador Mikio Mori, Consul General of Japan in New York, and Isao Kobayashi, President and CEO of Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Two students from Stony Brook University, Naomi Kirkup and Wynn Ng, were recognized among the eight awardees. Naomi Kirkup, a senior studying Asian and Asian American studies with minors in China studies, religious studies, and South Asian studies, won the Best Essay Award in the College Division. Her essay titled “Amaterasu’s Mirror of Ecstasy: A Brief Encounter with Japanese Shamanism and Shintoism” earned her a $3,000 prize along with a Canon camera. In her work, she discusses life’s purpose through different religions’ compatibility while analyzing Amaterasu’s myth as a metaphor for self-actualization.
Wynn Ng is a freshman majoring in psychology with aspirations to become a clinical psychologist. She received a Special Award that included a $500 prize and a Canon camera for her essay “Between the Folds: The Life Lessons Found in Origami.” Her piece reflects on how origami instilled patience and mindfulness during challenging times in her college chemistry class.
Chief Judge Murata praised both students’ insights into their respective topics. Regarding Kirkup’s essay on religion’s harmonizing aspects reflected through Amaterasu’s mirror symbolism, he stated that life aims at maintaining clarity within one’s heart to reflect divine beauty. To Wynn Ng, he noted that “origami…is an art that requires discipline,” drawing parallels between human qualities needed both in art creation and scientific pursuits like chemistry.
Eriko Sato chaired the competition opening remarks where Dean David Wrobel conveyed appreciation for participants who exemplify global citizenship values aligned with Canon U.S.A.’s philosophy “Kyosei.” JCSB President Iwao Ojima outlined JCSB’s mission followed by greetings from Kiyoshi Oka of Canon U.S.A., along with Makiko Ai from the Consulate General of Japan.
Since its inception in 2005, this competition has gathered over 4,018 essays across 292 schools within New York’s metropolitan region encouraging contestants without prior experience related to Japan or Japanese language to express personal perspectives involving any aspect tied back culturally or experientially towards Japan.
Further details can be found on the Japan Center at Stony Brook website.
