Newman Prize: Miko Kim '25

During assembly on Monday, December 9, Miko Kim '25 described her visit to Japan as the Class of 2025's Newman Prize recipient.

The Newman Prize, established in 1992 by Mark Vittert '65, annually awards a member of the junior class the chance to meet an inspiring American of their choosing. Its namesake is the late Eric Newman ’28, who was a student at Burroughs on its opening day in 1923.

Over the summer, Miko and her parents traveled to Japan, where she met director and animator Henry Thurlow, an American-born artist renowned for his work on One Piece, The Last: Naruto the Movie, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

As a dual U.S. and Japanese citizen who grew up immersed in Japanese culture, Miko was thrilled to spend a day in Tokyo with Thurlow. Together, they explored Nakano Broadway, discussed his career, and shared their passion for animation. Miko even showed him some of her own artwork. Thurlow also introduced her to Vincent Chansard, a French storyboard artist and animator living in Japan.

"Thurlow told me that when you visit another country, you learn a lot about your own, and I found this to be true," Miko reflected, describing their conversations about the differences between animation work in the U.S. and Japan. While Miko doesn't currently plan to pursue a career in the cinematic arts, she will continue to enjoy it as a much-loved hobby with sentimental roots. She says, "I will always have a special place in my heart for animation!"

During her two-week trip, Miko also had a chance to visit with her family, exploring bathhouses and shrines with her grandparents and enjoying karaoke with her cousin.

Following Miko’s presentation, Andy Newman '62, a member of the Newman Prize committee, announced Cate Kiley '26 as the next Newman Prize recipient. Cate’s shortlist of potential Americans to meet includes:

• Award-winning composer, lyricist, and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda
• Children’s book author Mo Willems
• Former UN ambassador and current USAID head Samantha Power
• Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Andrea Ghez
• Poet Amanda Gorman

Other popular choices among the Class of 2026 included the Obamas, several Supreme Court justices and UN ambassadors, musicians like ODESZA, Skrillex, and Taylor Swift, actress Zendaya, and social media personality Big Justice.