PBS Hawaii’s Leslie Wilcox and Robert Pennybacker receive the award from APTS CEO Patrick Butler. (Photo courtesy of PBS Hawaii)

MEDIA RELEASE

PBS Hawaii has received the 2012 EDGE Award for Hiki No, the Nation’s First Statewide Student News Network.

The award was presented by the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) at its annual Public Media Summit in Washington, D.C.

The EDGE Award recognizes a public television station that uses digital technology, groundbreaking partnerships and educational technologies to deliver innovative services to their communities.

Amidst sustained applause from other PBS station executives, PBS Hawaii President and CEO Leslie Wilcox and Hiki No, Executive Producer/VP Creative Services Robert Pennybacker accepted the award for Hiki No.

“Hiki No serves as an example of a transformative school-community partnership, with media and education working together to create a better future for Hawaii’s children,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of APTS. “Providing workforce skills to Hawaii students, which will help them succeed in life, in exactly the kind of essential public service which makes public television stand out as a critical partner in the local community. Leslie Wilcox’s inspirational leadership of PBS Hawaii and Hiki No provides perspectives from the local communities that can only be seen and heard on public television.”

Wilcox said, “The word we often hear from students and teachers is ‘life-changing.’ Students are acquiring the skills they need to be responsible citizens and engaged members of the evolving workforce. It’s a game-changer for us at PBS Hawaii as well. This program wouldn’t exist if we hadn’t challenged our own critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, fired up our imagination and curiosity, and taken calculated risks.”

Hiki No premiered in February 2011 with 54 participating public, private and charter middle and high schools across Hawaii. Now in its second year, 73 schools have joined Hiki No, including two public elementary schools.

Established in 1979, APTS is a nonprofit membership organization that conducts advocacy, planning, research and communications activities to support strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people.

— Find out more:
http://PBSHawaii.org
www.apts.org