Traci-Ann Toshiko Miwa
Kelly Kimiko Nakano
PARENTS: HIGH SCHOOL: COLLEGE: DEGREE: OCCUPATION: AMBITION: INTERESTS:
PARENTS: HIGH SCHOOL: COLLEGE: DEGREE: OCCUPATION: AMBITION: INTERESTS:
Howard and Janice Miwa Pearl City High School, 2001 University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2006 University of Phoenix, 2007 Speech Master’s Degree in Secondary Education Math Teacher Help students overcome math phobia Scrapbooking, beading, soccer, bowling, and shopping
A Japanese tradition my family perpetuates is the Omisoka. On the eve of the New Year, we gather at my parents’ house to welcome the New Year. We start the New Year by getting rid of the old and bring in the new. We do a clean sweep of the house, osouji, to purify everything so that my family can start anew. One of my fondest memories on Omisoka, is witnessing my grandma be the food police to make sure we all ate soba noodles. My grandma told us we should eat the soba noodles so that it will provide us with longevity. In the festivities of starting anew, the buckwheat in the soba cleans our digestive systems to cleanse our bodies. The simplicity of cutting the soba resembles the ease of getting rid of any bad luck or misfortunate events that happened through the past year.
Edmund and Diane Nakano Aiea High School, 2001 University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005 Hawaii Pacific University, 2007 Bachelor of Business Administration Accounting Masters of Business Administration Accountant To become a Certified Public Accountant in working at helping businesses in Hawaii, and to live a balanced healthy life Being a UH sports fanatic, uni sushi connoisseur and buffet eating champion.
A lifelong tradition in my family that began even before I was born was traveling to my grandmother’s house in Hilo to celebrate New Year’s with my maternal family. Currently, we have four generations of our family that come together for this festive occasion, in which the eldest generation is my 91-year old grandmother. Each year our family takes part in several Japanese traditions such as eating food, like sekihan (red bean rice), kuromame (black beans) and ozoni (hot mochi soup). We also set out our kagami mochi (mochi with a tangerine on top) and of course play fireworks. These festivities are symbolic for celebration and good luck for the New Year. This lifelong tradition has instilled in me the importance and value of family in my life and how it is important that we continue to perpetuate the Japanese culture for generations to come.
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