Keiro Krafts for Kids sponsored by JAO. Players make Christmas ornaments for the senior residents at Sakura Gardens. Players distribute ornaments during lunch and spend time with residents.

Renae Tamura is the recipient of the 2017 JAO Scholarship.  Renae is the daughter of Steve and Jadene Tamura, and big sis to Noelle.  Renae and her best friend / teammate Taylor Yoshida have played with the Mustangs Rainbows since kindergarten at age 5.  Renae was a 4 year varsity member and 2 year captain for the girls’ basketball team at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada Flintridge, where the team captured the 2016 CIF-SS Div 5-AA Championship and Renae was awarded Player of the Year.  Renae was also a member of Yonsei 20 that traveled to Fukuoka, Japan in 2013.  In addition to basketball, Renae’s school activities included 3 years varsity volleyball, 1 year varsity track and 2 years dance.  She is also a 2 year member of the Athletic Council on Leadership (including service to Boys & Girls Club, Special Olympics, Union Station Homeless Shelter), and continues to serve as a Peer Counselor to 9th graders, and as a Senior Leader tutoring Algebra I and II at Flintridge Prep.  Renae will be attending Pomona College beginning Fall 2017, where she plans to double major in mathematics and science, and will be a member of the Pomona-Pitzer Women’s Basketball Team.

Justin Hayata is the CYC (Community Youth Council) Hideo Kunitomi/Paul Suzuki scholarship recipient for 2016-2017, and was presented with the award at the annual CYC Jamboree held at Schurr High School on February 26. He is the son of Wes and Doris Hayata and big brother to his 15 year old sister, Courtney. Justin played basketball with the Jets/Jetts organization on the Jets HyperForce team from Kindergarten to 8th grade, then with the Mustangs organization on the Mustangs Inferno team from 9th grade to 12th grade. He “looked forward to the games every week” and appreciates growing up, learning about teamwork, and making lifelong friends through CYC, the Mustangs and Jet/Jetts basketball programs.

Justin is currently a senior at Arcadia HIgh School maintaining a high GPA of 3.8. He was the captain of his Frosh/Soph high school basketball team and also ran Varsity for the Arcadia High School Cross Country and Track and Field teams. He received the Athlete of the Year Award in 8th grade, and in high school has received the Scholar-Athlete award, Tri-athlete award, and is a California Scholarship Federation Gold candidate. In addition to maintaining his academic excellence and training for his various sports, he enjoyed giving back to the community by working with the youth and teaching them his favorite sport at the Mustangs Basketball clinics. He also provided assistance at community carnivals, and volunteered with various environmental groups including Heal the Bay, Habitat for Humanity and the Sierra Club.

Justin plans to attend SDSU in the fall and will be double majoring in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Sustainability and Business Administration. He also recently combined his writing skills with his love of sports and became a writer for SB Nation. If you would like to read his articles, you can find them either on his Facebook or his Twitter @j_hayata3.

At the 2016 Mustangs picnic, exceptional Mustangs players were honored with the Kevyn Nojima Scholarship and Yosh Hirai Service Award. This year Kevyn Nojima Scholarship recipients were Rece Kunisaki and Kaitlyn Lee. The Yosh Hirai Service Award was bestowed to Blake Yokoyama and Madisen Yasuda.

At the 2017 CYC Annual Jamboree, Mustangs Titans Rece Kunisaki is recognized and awarded the Kunitomi/Suzuki Scholarship.  It is a college scholarship given to an exceptional CYC player who has excel in academics,  school and community affairs, leadership and sportsmanship.
 
See details at the 2016 CYC Kunitomi/Suzuki Scholarship Page.