MEDIA RELEASE

The Big Island Press Club has announced the 2010 recipients of its scholarships, awarded Aug. 7 at the Press Club’s annual Scholarship Dinner at Pescatore in Hilo.

Mitchell Byars

Mitchell Byars, a 2007 Konawaena High graduate, was awarded the $1,500 Robert C. Miller and $500 Jack Markey Scholarships for a total of $2,000.

The four-time BIPC scholarship recipient is currently an intern at the The Tribune in Greeley, Colo. Readers of the West Hawaii Today may remember seeing Byars’ byline – he interned at that paper during his senior year at Konawaena High.

This fall, Byars returns for his senior year at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he is majoring in journalism with a minor in philosophy.

Dylan Vincent, a 2007 graduate of Kamehameha Schools Hawaii Campus, was awarded the $600 Steve Christensen Memorial and $600 Yukino Fukabori Scholarships for a total of $1,200.

Vincent, who has attended the University of Cincinnati and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, was a staff writer at Ke Kalahea from 2009 to 2010.

He aspires to work at Gentleman’s Quarterly in Paris while also teaching. Vincent, a collegiate cheerleader and cheer camp instructor, will return to the University of Cincinnati this fall, majoring in journalism and French.

Dylan Vincent

Big Island Press Club scholarship applicants must have residential ties to the Big Island, have clear interest in and aptitude for a career in journalism or related field, be pursuing a degree in journalism or related field at an accredited institution of higher learning, and maintain a strong record of academic achievement.

Scholarship inquiries and requests for an application may be sent to: Scholarship Committee, Big Island Press Club, HCR3 Box 10075, Keaau, HI 96749.

The Big Island Press Club is the oldest continuously active media organization in Hawaii. Established in Hilo in 1967, the Press Club has raised thousands of dollars for journalism scholarships, has been a watchdog for the public’s right to know, and has presented the Torch of Light and Lava Tube award annually since 1997 to highlight the best and worst examples of openness in Hawaii.

The club’s nine-member Board of Directors also manages the BIPC Scholarship Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt endowment that funds the scholarships awarded annually to deserving Big Island students in accredited media programs.

About the Press Club Scholarship Honorees

Robert C. Miller (1915-2004) was a United Press International correspondent and longtime BIPC supporter. He covered wars and other stories since WWII and also was a bureau chief for UPI in Honolulu. BIPC’s scholarship program started when former Hawai‘i legislator Doc Hill donated money in 1968 after hearing an inspiring speech by Miller at a Press Club function.

The late Jack Markey was a radio advertising salesman and charter member of the Big Island Press Club. Since his poor eyesight prevented him from driving, he was visible on sidewalks everywhere around Hilo, literally a little old man hitchhiking to sales appointments and club membership recruiting efforts. He served with vigor and humor on the BIPC scholarship committee.

Yukino Fukabori (1910-1995) was a teacher at Hilo High School and a reporter for the Hawai‘i Tribune-Herald, covering hard news at a time when newswomen were relegated to the society pages. Her scholarship is funded by her family, the Okamuras, and is administered by the BIPC.

The late Steve Christensen was a retired attorney who donated substantial legal work to the Press Club in its early years. The scholarship in his name is funded by donations from his friends in the informal “Geezers Club” and the BIPC.