The Janet Aiko Sekiguchi Foundation

Honoring Janet's legacy by investing in communities and causes consistent with her passions and her struggles.

We are excited to announce the recipient of the foundation’s next 3-year grant! Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) is an organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area that focuses on empowering youth at risk of being involved in the juvenile justice system. Specifically, our grant will be helping to support and expand a restorative justice program called Peer Point that serves as a more effective and positive alternative to traditional discipline methods in schools. We were very impressed with the leadership as well as the fact that the students themselves play a significant role in designing the program and determining their goals.

FLY's mission is to partner with youth to unlock their potential, disrupt the pipeline to prison, and advance justice in California and beyond. FLY envisions a country where all kids grow up valued and supported, and the pipeline to prison is replaced with meaningful opportunities for kids to live healthy, free, and productive lives that make stronger, safer, and more vibrant communities for us all.

When FLY was founded in 2000, they were guided by the input of youth in the juvenile justice system to create programs grounded in legal education, mentoring, and leadership training. Over the past 25 years, they have continuously sought the input of young people impacted by the youth justice system to grow and evolve their program offerings. FLY seeks to elevate youth voices to make our systems more equitable, just, and humane. Their programs connect young people with positive mentors and role models, promote their understanding of the law and their rights, and support them to become leaders among their peers and in their communities.

The Peer Point pilot restorative justice model operates directly in schools as an alternative to suspension or expulsion. FLY formally assumed facilitation of the Peer Point program in fall 2022 from the San Mateo County Youth Commission’s Youth Leadership Team (YLT). This diversion program allows youth to address the root causes of probation, expulsion, and suspension by participating in peer circles for healing, community-building, and accountability. Some youth will receive more intensive support from FLY’s Peer Point staff through the implementation of individualized restorative plans. Here is a video that shares more about the program:

Entrepreneur High School (eHigh) held its third annual eHigh Expo on April 18, 2025. Last year’s expo turned out to be their largest and most attended event they have ever had across any of their campuses. We are awaiting eHigh's year-end report in which we anticipate to receive their reflections on the success of this year's event.

As we noted before, eHigh reports that they are now in a place to be able to continue this program beyond these three years of funding. They have set up different avenues to help fund this program, along with support from the student-run organization, Panther Enterprises. Funding from these different sources will allow eHigh to keep moving forward and grow this program each year.

Our board member Mark was able to drop in on the eHigh Expo and visit a variety of student businesses displaying their products and services along "Entrepreneur Alley." He also had the opportunity to check in with school staff who oversee the "Inspiring a Young Entrepreneur Program."

We’re happy to report that the entrepreneurship program that our grant helped launch is thriving, and with new funding sources secured, we are hopeful that it will continue impacting students for years to come.

Students from eHigh were able to attend the annual DesignerCon. This year, the event moved from Anaheim to Las Vegas, Nevada, and was held on November 16, 2024. This year they were able to take 35 students and 4 staff chaperones. They took a charter bus and made a same-day turnaround trip to Las Vegas for the event. It was a very long but rewarding day.

The students had an incredible time at the expo, where they explored a variety of design fields, from graphic design and product design to collectibles, fine art, and digital media. They were amazed by the sheer creativity on display and enjoyed visiting the different booths that showcased innovative designs and products. Many students seized the opportunity to purchase unique items, from designer toys and prints to handmade crafts and apparel, which they saw as not just souvenirs but sources of inspiration for their own creative ventures.

Beyond the expo, the trip itself became a memorable part of the experience. For many, it was their first time traveling such a long distance by bus. Along the way, they were captivated by the bright lights and stunning sights of Las Vegas, especially the Sphere, which left everyone in awe.

The longer trip gave the teachers a unique opportunity to bond with the students, allowing them to connect on a deeper level. Many students have already excitedly asked about the next trip, reflecting just how impactful and enjoyable this experience was for them.

As part of its "Inspiring a Young Entrepreneur" program, eHigh held its second annual expo on April 26, 2024. According to eHigh, this year’s exhibition turned out to be even larger than last year’s, making it the biggest and most well-attended event the school has ever put on.

Building on what they learned from last year’s successful event, they were able to grow and improve this year’s expo by attracting more interested students, diversifying the student businesses, and starting both the business development and event marketing earlier. They increased the number of student vendors from 16 to 22. And while last year’s businesses were primarily focused on food products, this year only 12 were food-based. The others sold a variety of products and services such as apparel, handmade soaps, hand-decorated nails, car detailing, and original artwork.

The students had an amazing time and many used this as an opportunity to market test their products for their 11th Grade Business Pitch. The student businesses did so well that most of them sold out of their products. Students were also able to network with the community exhibitors, many of whom were interested in contracting them for future expos and events.

According to eHigh, they were also able to attract more community members and even potential students and families who wanted to learn more about the school. They want to continue to use these expos to showcase what they do at their school and the capabilities of their students. The expo and the program as a whole has become one of the foundational pieces of the school programming that everyone looks forward to each year.

The highlight reel for the eHigh Expo 2024 is here:

Although eHigh will receive a third and final year of funding from the Foundation, they believe they are now in a place to be able to continue this program beyond these three years of funding. They have set up different avenues to help fund this program, along with support from the student-run organization, Panther Enterprises. Funding from these different sources will allow eHigh to keep moving forward and grow this program each year.

Students from eHigh were able to once again attend the annual DesignerCon, which was held on December 16, 2023 at the Anaheim Convention Center. After the success of last year’s trip, eHigh had so much more interest this year that they increased the number of students that went on the trip. A total of 30 students and 4 advisors attended.

Students were in awe of all the creativity showcased throughout the expo. They had a great time exploring the showroom floor, visiting all of the booths, buying some merch and even enjoying some free swag. Another highlight for the students was being able to eat from the over a dozen food trucks at the event.

Even though by the end most of the students were exhausted from all of the excitement and walking, they really enjoyed the experience. Many of them left inspired and instantly began thinking of ideas of what they would like to create for themselves with the facilities eHihg has on campus. The next step is getting many of these students ready for the expo on April 26, where they will be able to showcase their own creativity.

The eHigh Expo 2023 gave students, families and the surrounding community an opportunity to see what eHigh and its students are all about. The expo consisted of two main components, a career & college fair and a student-led vendor fair. As part of the career & college fair, students had the opportunity to attend workshops and explore career opportunities by talking to representatives from local employers and post-secondary schools.

As part of the student-led vendor fair, through funding from the Foundation, students were also able to showcase their entrepreneurial skills by setting up a display and sales booth. Students had the opportunity to promote their businesses and sell their products, many of which were produced on site at the school. Those products included food items, desserts, specialty beverages, clothing with custom-made designs and art pieces, among others. The expo was the culminating event of the Inspiring a Young Entrepreneur Program’s first year where students were able to use grant funds to cover their start-up costs and make their business ideas come to life.

Several Foundation board members had a chance to experience the eHigh Expo firsthand, where we were able to interact with student entrepreneurs, meet school staff and get a tour of the school facilities. The skillful sales techniques we experienced among the student vendors quickly had some of us opening up our wallets to purchase freshly-made beignets as well as horchata with a unique take.

With the first year of the Inspiring a Young Entrepreneur Program concluded, we look forward to continuing our partnership with eHigh in the next couple of years. We hope that the program can build upon its early success.