APTS Recognizes PBS Hawaii with an EDGE Award for HIKI NO, the Nation’s First Statewide Student News Network
WASHINGTON— February 27, 2012—The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) today presented PBS Hawaii with a 2012 EDGE Award for HIKI NŌ, the Nation’s First Statewide Student News Network. The EDGE Awards are presented annually to public television stations that use digital technology, groundbreaking partnerships and educational technologies to deliver innovative services to their communities.
PBS Hawaii has made a significant impact on education in Hawaii by launching HIKI NŌ. In this collaboration between PBS Hawaii and Hawaii’s public, private and charter schools, student-produced news stories are aired on PBS Hawaii's broadcast and web platforms.
HIKI NŌ, Hawaiian for “can do”, builds on research that shows that to succeed in the knowledge-based global economy, students must master 21st century skills such as digital age literacy, entrepreneurism, collaboration and the effective use of real-world tools with real-world application. HIKI NŌ is designed to engage young voices as a rich new source of reports reflecting issues, experiences and communities which are now invisible in local media.
“HIKI NŌ 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 NŌ provides perspectives from the local communities that can only be seen and heard on public television.”
Leslie Wilcox, President and CEO, PBS Hawaii said, “The word we often hear from students and teachers is ‘life-changing.’ Students are acquiring the skills they need to be engaged citizens and productive 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 NŌpremiered in February 2011 with 54 participating middle and high schools throughout Hawaii. Now entering its third season, that number has risen to 73 and includes two public elementary schools. Because of the high-quality of the student-produced reports and the positive community feedback, HIKI NŌ airs in primetime – Thursdays at 7:30 pm. The program is also now a staple of PBS Hawaii local programming, on air and in production 52 weeks a year.
The EDGE Award was presented to PBS Hawaii during The APTS Public Media Summit on Monday, February 27.
About APTS
The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1979. The mission of APTS is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities in order to achieve strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people. APTS provides consistent leadership and information that helps our members better accomplish their own missions and goals. Through its affiliate APTS Action, APTS promotes the legislative and regulatory interests of noncommercial television stations at the national level through direct advocacy, and grasstops and grassroots campaigns designed to garner congressional support. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
###
