The Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation will sponsor a trip for students from Garland County to Hanamaki, Japan for approximately one week in June 2026. Approximately 12 students will be chosen to travel to our sister city as representatives of Hot Springs. The estimated cost of the trip will be $3,000 plus the cost of a passport and incidental expenses.
Some scholarship assistance is available to qualifying students but must be applied for as a part of this application. Please note that the awarding of scholarships is contingent upon the availability of funds. Full scholarships are generally unavailable; however, partial scholarships may be offered based on household size and income.
Only those applicants seeking scholarships are required to answer the questions in Section 3.
Please Note: Before you begin, all applicants will need the following documents, in PDF format, to successfully complete the form.
- Two Letters of Reference that include the nominator’s name, address, phone number and E-mail. One from a Teacher, Counselor, or Principal and one personal reference who is not related to you.
- School Records – this can be an official letter, form, or actual copy of records from your school. The following information must be included: Grade Point Average (GPA), Attendance Record, Discipline Record.
- A statement signed by a parent/legal guardian showing support for your travel to Japan as well as understanding of the costs associated with the program or articulating that participation would be contingent on receiving a scholarship.
The deadline has been extended, and complete applications along with all required supporting documents must be submitted no later than Monday, January 12, 2026.
This form is currently closed for submissions.