Scholarships Awarded…Big Island Press Club, Hawaii Island AJA Veterans Legacy Association, East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai

The Big Island Press Club is awarding scholarships totaling $5,600 to five students this year. The press club annually awards scholarships to students pursuing a higher education in journalism or a related field.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no scholarship dinner. Instead, the BIPC scholarship awardees will be honored via a Zoom online ceremony at 6:30 p.m. today.

The featured speaker is the Honorable Mark E. Recktenwald, chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court. A 1978 Harvard University graduate, Recktenwald was a reporter for the United Press International Honolulu Bureau prior to pursing a law degree, which he received in 1986 from the University of Chicago.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

• Tianna Morimoto, a 2015 graduate of Konawaena High School and 2019 graduate of Chapman University with a degree in communication studies with a broadcast journalism minor. Morimoto, who interned at West Hawaii Today during the 2018-19 winter break, is pursuing a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Nevada at Reno. Morimoto, a two-time BIPC scholarship winner, is the recipient of the $1,500 Bill Arballo Scholarship.

• Jordan Virtue, a 2016 graduate of Hawaii Preparatory Academy and 2020 graduate of Harvard University, where she was on the editorial staff of The Harvard Crimson, the school’s student-operated daily newspaper. Virtue, who published a feature story in the Washington Post about shave ice, is entering University of Oxford, where she’ll pursue a master’s degree in history. A three-time BIPC scholarship winner, she is the recipient of the $1,000 Marcia Reynolds Scholarship.

• Danielle Brown, a 2017 graduate of Hilo High School, and junior English major at George Fox University, where she is also an intercollegiate tennis player. Brown is a two-time BIPC scholarship winner and the recipient of $1,000 from the combined Bob Miller and Jack Markey scholarships.

• Piper Haitsuka, a 2019 graduate of Makua Lani Christian Academy and sophomore journalism major at California State University-Sacramento. Haitsuka is, for the second consecutive year, the recipient of the $600 Yukino Fukabori Scholarship.

• Ku‘uhiapo Jeong, a 2020 graduate of Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii Campus, will enter the University of Hawaii at Hilo this fall, and announced his intentions to study communications and psychology. Jeong is the recipient of the $500 Hugh Clark Scholarship.

The public can view the scholarship ceremony live via the Big Island Press Club’s public Facebook Page. The ceremony will be archived on the page for later access, as well.

The BIPC Scholarship committee for 2020 is: Robert Duerr, writer for Hawaii Fishing News and numerous national outdoor publications, BIPC treasurer and committee chair; Royelen Boykie, planned giving steward for Food &Water Watch and BIPC board member; and John Burnett, police and courts reporter for Hawaii Tribune-Herald, BIPC immediate past president and three-time BIPC scholarship recipient.

Since 1967, the Big Island Press Club has been an advocate for openness in government and protecting the public’s right to know. More information about the club can be found on its website at bigislandpressclub.org.

The Hawaii Island AJA Veterans Legacy Association presented a $1,000 scholarship to Hilo High School senior Leilani Guerrero for her outstanding academic, co-curricular and extracurricular achievements.

Guerrero was an active member of the Hilo High School Student Council, Oiwi head representative, Aloha Ambassador and KVIKS TV, an organization dedicated to creating digital and broadcast content for the school, and was manager for the Hilo High wrestling, judo and football teams.

She was also a member of the Haili Juniors Volleyball team and a community volunteer with Connect Point Church and the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home.

The scholarship application required an essay describing the significance and role of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II in one of the following: the 100th Infantry Battalion, Military Intelligence Service or the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Guerrero wrote about the 100th Infantry Battalion and how the veterans’ brave actions during WWII inspired her with their courage and perseverance, which she thinks is their lasting legacy.

Guerrero is the daughter of Lynette and Chris Guerrero. She plans to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the fall to major in Hawaiian studies, Hawaiian language and pre-law. Her career goal is to become a family attorney.

The Hawaii Island AJA Veterans Legacy Association educational scholarships are available to graduating seniors at any Hawaii Island public or private high school.

The East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai awarded Waiakea High School seniors Carina Cook and Deren Nekoba each $1,000 scholarships for their excellence in academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular achievements.

A senior class valedictorian, Carina Cook was an active member of the WHS Key Club, Math League, Robotics Club, Class Council, National Honor Society, Student Government Association, Korean Club, Japanese Club and the Leo Club. Outside school, Cook volunteered at Heart Ranch and NexTech and was a youth delegate to Japan for the Fukuoka Kenjin Kai and the East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai.

Cook also received numerous awards such as being named an AP Scholar with Distinction, California-Nevada-Hawaii Member Recognition Program Recipient, and three-year award recipient of the Waiakea High School Academic Achievement and School Service Awards.

Cook was also a swim instructor for the Hilo Aquatics Club summer program and is a craft fair vendor at the Waiakea High May Day program and at Hilo Missionary Church.

Cook is the daughter of Sylvi and Vaughn Cook and will be double majoring in computer science and psychology at Creighton University in Nebraska in the fall.

Also a senior class valedictorian and the class of 2020 salutatorian, Nekoba was an active member of the WHS Class Council, Leo Club and Math League. He was on the WHS junior varsity baseball team and served as captain in the 2016-17 year, and is a former member of the Hilo Hongwanji Junior Young Buddhist Association.

Nekoba received the Basic Science/Engineering award for the Hawaii District Science and Engineering Fair in 2016, and won the Mu Alpha Theta Award, Basic Science Engineering Award, Mathematics Best in Subject Category Award and Achievement in Research in Psychological Science Award for his Senior Science Fair project in 2020.

Nekoba was a multi-year recipient of the Waiakea High Scholastic Achievement Award and Outstanding Service Award and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. He also works part-time at the Hilo Lunch Shop.

Nekoba is the son of Lori and Darrell Nekoba and will be majoring in civil engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he was awarded the University of Hawaii Provost Achievement Scholarship.

The scholarships are awarded to two deserving East Hawaii public or private high school seniors who will be attending an accredited college or university, registering as a full-time student in the fall 2020 semester.

Applicants demonstrate above average scholastic record and character and must be a child of an East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai member in good standing.