CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Two graduating seniors from Okinawa each were awarded $600 college scholarships from the Jim Lea Scholarship Fund.
Heather Jenkins of Kadena High School and Jacquelyn Hughes of Kubasaki High School were to receive the awards Friday from members of Okinawa’s American Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber members created the fund as a way to remember veteran Stars and Stripes reporter Jim Lea, who died Nov. 21, 2002, said Gilbert Hoffman, ACC board member.
“A number of us got to know Jim very well when he was Stripes’ bureau chief here before and after the reversion of Okinawa to Japan in 1972,” Hoffman said.
“We thought it appropriate to limit the scholarship to students who wanted to pursue careers in communications or journalism,” Hoffman said. Each recipient showed “excellent scholastic achievement” and was involved in her high school’s newspaper, he added.
Jenkins is to attend the University of Maryland, Asia Division, majoring in English; Hughes is to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in communications and English.
Hoffman said the scholarship is a one-time affair.
