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Nishimachi Annual Report 2019-2020
Endowment funds allow Nishimachi to provide the broad range of programs and options needed to educate children in a highly complex, interconnected world. These endowment funds will support, in perpetuity, particular and important educational areas in which donors have expressed an interest. The minimum threshold for establishing a permanent named fund is 2,000,000 yen ($20,000). The school publishes the following list in sincere appreciation of the generous donors who have established, and contributed to, these funds. (Note: The interest earned or accrued by the fund is utilized for the specified purpose. The principal is safely “held in trust” and restricted from use.)
Endowment Funds Nourish Our Soil
Tané Matsukata Fund for International Education
Shortly before her death in 1989, Tané Matsukata gave permission for her name to be used in establishing a permanent endowment fund to ensure the long-term prosperity of Nishimachi. Interest from this fund, which is our largest, provides financial aid to students who otherwise would not be able to afford an international education.
Ishibashi Foundation Endowment Fund
Endowed by the Ishibashi (Bridgestone) Foundation, this fund provides for annual purchases of books and materials for the media center.
Tomo no Kai Scholarship Fund
This fund was created in 1991 by Tomo no Kai, Nishimachi’s parent association, to provide tuition aid to Nishimachi students who qualify for financial assistance.
Morimura Homeikai Foundation Fund
Endowed by the Morimura Foundation, this fund supports our Japanese social studies program by providing students with opportunities to appreciate Japanese culture.
Robert & Judith Sharp Family Endowment
This fund was established in 2013 by Robert and Judith Sharp’s six children, all of whom attended Nishimachi, in honor of their parents’ service and contribution to the school spanning over four decades. Interest from this fund will provide scholarship assistance to Nishimachi students on the Outreach Scholarship Program.
U.K. Reunion Fund for Music
This fund was created in 1993 at a Nishimachi-Kai reunion in the U.K. Interest from the fund is used to enhance the music program.
Yaye Hirooka Fund
Yaye Hirooka, first grade teacher and vice principal, taught at Nishimachi for twenty-five years (1951–1976). This fund is designed to support professional development for teachers.
Lynn Araki Takata Photography Education Fund
Lynn Araki Takata, fourth grade teacher for seventeen years (1966– 1983), was often seen with her camera taking pictures of students at school events. The fund is used to support the photography program as a means of insuring a visual archive of the school.
Dorothy Risser Library Collection
Dorothy Risser, seventh grade homeroom and junior high English teacher for fourteen years (1963– 1977), had a profound interest in Japanese culture and took joy in sharing her love for Japan. Interest from this fund is used to purchase new books about Japan, both in Japanese and in English.
Cindy Motai Memorial Scholarship Fund
This fund is made up of gifts from Junsuke Motai, parents, students, and friends, in memory of Cindy Motai, an Nishimachi parent who passed away in 1994. This fund provides financial aid to students who would not otherwise be able to afford a Nishimachi education.