Six college-bound high school seniors to be chosen; application deadline is January 8, 2010

 The non-profit Kyoto Symposium Organization and The San Diego Foundation announced that applications for the 2010-2011 Kyoto Scholarships are now available to high school seniors from San Diego County and the greater Tijuana area. Applications can be downloaded at www.kyotoprize.org and must be postmarked no later than January 8, 2010.

 Named in honor of the Kyoto Prize —Japan’s highest private award for global achievement— Kyoto Scholarships recognize area students who have demonstrated outstanding community service, scholastic achievement and a desire to pursue the betterment of society through their studies.

 Six students will receive Kyoto Scholarships of up to $10,000 each in the categories of the Kyoto Prize: Advanced Technology; Basic Sciences; and Arts and Philosophy. Two recipients will be named in each category, one from San Diego, and one from greater Tijuana.

 “Thanks to our many generous benefactors, the Kyoto Scholarship has become an important academic award that offers considerable support to college-bound high school seniors,” said Robert Horsman, president and CEO of San Diego National Bank and chairman of the Kyoto Symposium Organization. “Over the past six years, 36 students who are dedicated to improving their communities and the human condition have received Kyoto Scholarships totaling $360,000.”

 Scholarship recipients will be recognized, and will meet the latest Kyoto Prize laureates, during the gala event, “The Kyoto Prize: Celebrating Outstanding Lifetime Achievement,” on Tuesday, April 20, 2010. The benefit gala will serve as the distinguished opening ceremony for the ninth annual Kyoto Prize Symposium, which will continue April 21-22 at San Diego State University; the University of California, San Diego; and the University of San Diego.

 The Kyoto Prize Symposium presents the latest Kyoto Prize laureates and their history-making achievements to an international audience composed of leaders from business, government, the arts and academia. High school students and teachers are encouraged to attend, with complimentary group transportation available on a first-come, first-served basis.

 The Kyoto Prize was created in 1984 to honor individuals and organizations that have contributed significantly to humankind’s scientific, cultural, and spiritual development. Dr. Kazuo Inamori, an international entrepreneur and humanitarian (founder and chairman emeritus of Kyocera Corp.), established the prize to reflect his belief that there is no higher calling than to work for the greater good of all humankind, and to recognize those who improve the world through their life’s work.

 The Kyoto Scholarships are administered through The San Diego Foundation, a leading provider of scholarships in the San Diego region. Founded in 1975, The San Diego Foundation is a broad-purpose community foundation helping individuals, families and organizations carry out their charitable plans, with the common goals of improving the quality of life in the greater San Diego region, now and for generations to come.

 For more information or to apply for the Kyoto Scholarship, please visit www.kyotoprize.org