Growing Up Asian in America
Annual art and literary contest names this year’s winners

The 6 first-place winners of the “2000 Growing up Asian in America” writing and art contest. All 6 received a $2,000 savings bond award. Front, left to right: Tutram Nguyen, Kevan Hom, Alexandra Chan. Rear, left to right: Jason Carpio, Diana Dinh, Brian Ho.

The Asian Pacific Fund’s “Growing Up Asian in America” program, of which AsianWeek is a co-sponsor, awarded $27,000 this month in its contest for Bay Area youth of Asian Pacific Islander American heritage. Below is the challenge offered to these youth, followed by a winning essay and links to winning artworks.

"Write an essay or draw a picture. Your essay or drawing should tell us about your time after school or on weekends, how you spend your time and why. You can also describe one favorite experience and how you feel about it. Is your after-school and free time different because you are Asian, or is it the same for everyone? Your entry must help us learn something about how you feel about Growing Up Asian In America."

Winning artworks:

• Kindergarten - 5th grade (33kb image)
• 6th - 8th grade (48kb image)
• 9th - 12th grade (38 kb image)

The following essay received 1^st place in the K-5th grade category.

My name is Alexandra Chan and I am 9 years old. I live in Foster City and I am in fourth grade. My Grandpa has taken care of me since I was two years old.

My grandpa picks me up from school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. I call him Goong-Goong. It means Grandpa on my mom’s side, in Chinese. He takes me to all my lessons, even though it’s hard work, because he has to drive from place to place. I hold his hand when he picks me up from school, so he won’t fall down, because he has a bad back. I refuse to let him hold my heavy binder even though he insists. My Grandpa and I are very close and I will never stop loving him.

My grandpa always looks sad. I constantly try to comfort him by asking what is wrong. I will remember his warm wrinkly hand for the rest of my life. My grandpa has white and gray hair and thick glasses. His voice is usually quiet and not at all loud. He almost wears the same jacket everyday. It’s brown and checkered. The definition of kind is my grandpa.

My grandpa and I worry about each other. I worry because he has back problems, hearing and eye problems. Sometimes he cries because he can’t see well or because he can’t hear. I always try to comfort him. When I whistle, he also tries too. But, I stop him because he might strain his voice. Eating too little and not wearing enough clothes is what my grandpa worries about me. I will never think of arguing with him because I don’t want him to have a heart attack.

My grandpa showed me an ice skating program, and that’s when I started liking the sport. My favorite ice skater is Kristi Yamaguchi. She was in the ice skating program. I used to take private ice skating lessons two times a week in third grade, but I quit. My mom wanted me to focus on my grades. I agreed with her since my grades were more important. When I’m ice skating I feel relaxed and only think of skating. I feel like I have no worries. I still watch ice skating competitions. When I might not be there for a competition or show, my grandpa tapes it for me. Without my grandpa, I would have never known how to ice skate.

My grandpa and I do so much for each other. After school I have a lot of lessons. On Tuesdays, I have a private karate lesson. On Wednesdays, I have piano lessons and group karate. On Thursdays, I have Kumon math lessons. My grandpa has to drive me to all those lessons, even though he’s old! What I sometimes do for him is give him a little snack, like cut apples with peaches. He smiles and says thank you. Once, I wrote a card telling him what I felt about him. He framed it in his house. I didn’t know it meant so much to him. He gives me presents and hugs and kisses me.

I feel that it is different being a Chinese in America in some ways and not in other ways. We go to the same schools, eat the same foods and learn the same subjects in school. It is different being Chinese in America, because in American culture, respecting their elders is not stressed. I know, because I’ve seen the children talk back to their grandparents and shout to them at school. My mom taught me to respect my elders and not talk back. It is a part of Chinese culture. It’s not hard to respect my grandpa because I love him. I couldn’t live without him.