About Town: 05-16-19

Press Club hands out scholarships

The Big Island Press Club awarded scholarships totaling $4,600 to five students May 9 at its annual scholarship dinner at Hilo’s Seaside Restaurant. The press club annually awards scholarships at this dinner to students pursuing a higher education in journalism or a related field.

The scholarship recipients are:

• Jordan Virtue, a 2016 graduate of Hawaii Preparatory Academy and student at Harvard University, where she is on the editorial staff of The Harvard Crimson, the school’s student-run daily newspaper. For the second consecutive year, Virtue is the recipient of the $1,500 Bill Arballo Scholarship.

• 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 this past winter break, will be pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Nevada at Reno. She is the recipient of the $1,000 Marcia Reynolds Scholarship.

• Emily Tsuji, a 2019 graduate of Waiakea High School who will be studying film and electronic arts at California State University-Long Beach. Tsuji, who was described as a “once in a generation student” by Waiakea teacher and technology coordinator Donn Yamamoto, is the recipient of the $1,000 Hugh Clark Scholarship.

• Piper Haitsuka, a 2019 graduate of Makua Lani Christian Academy who will attend California State University-Sacramento this fall, is the recipient of the $600 Yukino Fukabori Scholarship.

•Clara Scheidle, a 2017 graduate of Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California, and student at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Scheidle, an astronomy major who aspires to be a science writer, is a staff writer for Ke Kalahea, UH-Hilo’s student-run newspaper. She is the recipient of the $250 Bob Miller and $250 Jack Markey scholarships, for a $500 total.

Central Pacific Bank raises funds for nonprofits

Central Pacific Bank (CPB) employees have raised $104,772 to be donated to four nonprofit organizations in Hawaii. Over the past six weeks, CPB employees managed fundraisers ranging from chair massages by licensed therapists to handmade faux cactus plants for the office, and breakfast, lunch, and bake sales — all to benefit the four beneficiaries selected this year: Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation, Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Make a Wish Hawaii, and Paws of Hawaii.

Since the CPB Walk was first established in 2010, CPB employees have raised more than $960,000 for local charities.