Big Island Press Club Awards Five Scholarships

The Big Island Press Club has awarded five students with its annual 2015 scholarship program supporting career studies in journalism or communications.

Kacie LaGuire, Alex Bitter, Cashman Aiu, Britni Schock and Eli Matola each received awards towards their studies from a total of $4,600.

The Club’s annual scholarship awards dinner is being held on Thursday, May 28, at Hilo’s Seaside Restaurant at 5:30 p.m., and will feature comedian Augie T. as the guest speaker.

Kacie LaGuire received $1,500 under the Club’s Robert C. Miller Memorial Scholarship.  A 2015 graduate of Waiakea High School, she is going on to attend the University of San Francisco majoring in media studies.  LaGuire has been active as a videographer in high school, producing segments on student life for the PBS Hawaii student TV program, “Hiki No.”

LaGuire said of her pursuit: “I am enthusiastic about many aspects of media – mostly camera work and storytelling… I strongly value the importance of journalism and educating the public and I plan to get involved with journalism related to social justice issues.”

Bitter is the recipient of the $1,000 Bill Arballo scholarship, honoring Bill Arballo, the founder of the Big Island Press Club.  Bitter attends the University of Hawai        ‘i at Mānoa as a Regent’s Scholar, majoring in

journalism and political science.   He has served as an editor and staff writer for UH Mānoa’s school newspaper, “Ka Leo O Hawai‘i,” and interned at Honolulu Magazine, and Hawai‘i Business Magazine.

“In the long run I hope to work one day as a reporter covering politics or business,” Bitter said of his writing future.

Cashman Aiu was awarded the Marcia Reynolds memorial scholarship of $1,000.  Cashman was a 2014 graduate of Kamehameha Schools’ Hawai‘i Campus and currently attends New York University majoring in media, culture and communications. She is the Oceania Editor for NYU’s travel magazine Baedeker and a contributing writer for Fashion Week for the Washington Square News.

Aiu says of her career path: “In my media and culture courses at New York University I have found, while indigenous cultural studies is a thriving academic major, native authors are not a common thread amongst the discourse… and as a future broadcast journalist I hope to represent a positive example of Native Hawaiians and minorities in media.”

Schock is the recipient of the $600 Yukino Fukabori Memorial Scholarship, honoring one of Hawai‘i’s top female news reporters.  Schock attends the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo studying communications and writes for the UHH student newspaper Ke Kalahea. She is also a student member of the Big Island Press Club.

“After graduation I hope to find a position as a writer somewhere on the Big Island and continue my passion for writing,” said Schock of her future plans.

Matola, a 2011 graduate of Kapa‘a High School on Kauai, received the Jack Markey Memorial Scholarship.  He is attending the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo as a philosophy and communications major.  Matola will intern as a staff writer for the Applied Learning Experiences Program at UH Hilo next semester.

“Ever since I was young, I have always had a very special interest in the news… this passion has followed me as a young adult,” he said.

Reservations for the award dinner can be made by calling Tiffany Edwards Hunt, BIPC scholarship committee member, at (808) 938-8592.  Entry is $35 in advance and $40 at the door.  Tickets can also be purchased online.