Heartfelt “Letters to My Parents” helps teenagers connect with their parents and their feelings.

Ten Oahu high school students whose “Letter to My Parents” were selected as the best read their essays at an award ceremony last November 9, Saturday afternoon, at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Makiki.  Out of the ten, three were judged worthy to receive $1000 each while the remaining seven finalists received $250 each.

“Letters to My Parents” (LTMP) program offers an opportunity to inspire healthy relationships and improve communications within the family by encouraging students, many of whom are in distress, to express their experiences and their feelings. The writing project was introduced in Hawai`i in 2013 by Reiyukai, an international membership-based humanitarian organization with representatives in more than 25 countries and regions and which originated in Japan (Reiyukai translates to Head to Heart Friendship Association). It is now an annual project of the Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW).

“One of our priorities is to encourage people, especially those whose voices have not been heard, to tell their stories so that their experiences can enrich the multicultural identity of our state,” says Bey Aquino Lontoc, FAUW President.

 Margot Adair, who chaired this year’s contest noted that “We have published the work of past ‘Letters to My Parents’ awardees as well as poems and essays from student writers in our book, Students Speak and have distributed the books to various public and private schools, targeting the language arts teachers — and are happy that they encouraged their students to participate.”

“Letters to My Parents” is open to young people aged 14-22. It has been introduced in several countries including Mexico, Peru, Brazil, El Salvador, Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines; the contest is also offered in Los Angeles and Chicago.  Hawai’i teachers have been approached to include the project in their writing curricula. 

The top three winners are: Kawena Kealohilani Jumawan-Saito of Castle High School; Alexa Kate Paguirigan and Amore Laney of Waipahu High School

The other seven finalists are: Jennifer Perkins, Toby Lee, & Melanie Zhang of Iolani School; Caleb Kazarian & Marcus Cho of Kaiser High School; and Francis Dwayne Fernandez Battulayan & Lotus Kumiko Yasuda of Waipahu High School.

These year’s judges are Dennis A. Ing, who has practiced law in Hawai`i for more than 40 years and is a Past Grand Master of the Freemasons in Hawaii; Darcie Kawamura, Director of Student Support Services at Maryknoll School; and Steve Majzun of Kaimuki Middle School teaching US, Hawaiian and Pacific Island History.