In 1955, the Denver Colorado’s Japanese American community established a scholarship to honor the late Harry Sakata. Mr. Sakata was involved with the Japanese American community on both the local and national levels. Harry Sakata believed the youth were the future of the Japanese American community.

From those early beginnings, the Japanese American Community Graduation Program has evolved into a program that recognizes all high school seniors of Denver’s Japanese American ancestry. This program is dedicated to all graduating high school students who exemplify Mr. Sakata’s qualities of leadership and community service.

Annually, a graduation banquet is held to honor all eligible high school graduates. Several awards and scholarships are also presented at this dinner to assist some of these deserving young students to continue with their education.

The Japanese American Community Graduation Program is staffed solely by volunteers. The program is funded by the generous donations from the community and the proceeds of the JACGP’s Go For Broke golf tournament.