Cronkite Awards
Walter Cronkite was the honorary chairperson of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute for over a decade. His wisdom and vision of preparing our youth as future leaders in their communities gave rise to this Annual Awards Ceremony. The Award honors people using the power of the media to build an educated and sustainable world.
Cronkite Awards 2014
5th Annual Cronkite Awards Celebrate Our Ocean & Our Future – On a beautiful summer day, the Vineyard community came together to celebrate our ocean and our future. This year’s Cronkite Awards are champions of the ocean: world renown oceanographer, explorer, author, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Vineyard film maker Sam Low. The new owners of Mr. Cronkite’s home, Karen and David Brush hosted this year’s event.
When we bought the Cronkite house, we knew we wanted to support and carry on Walter’s legacy here on the Vineyard. The Cronkite Awards, which honor people using the power of the media to build an educated and sustainable world, seemed a perfect way to do this. The work the Institute does locally, through the Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative (MVYLI), continues Walter’s vision of preparing our youth as future leaders in our community. – Karen and David Brush
Cronkite Awards 2013
The 4th Annual Walter Cronkite Awards Ceremony was held at the Old Whaling Church. This year we honored those using the power of the media to help our environment. Walter Cronkite loved Martha’s Vineyard. A champion of environmental programs on the Vineyard, Mr. Cronkite produced the first television series on the environment, Can We Save the Earth? Teddy Kennedy Jr. was our distinguished speaker at the Awards Ceremony. Mr. Kennedy honored Mr. Cronkite’s long relationship with his family and his legacy of service. He shared great stories about his long relationship with Walter Cronkite Award Recipient Bob Nixon.
Cronkite Awards 2012
The Martha’s Vineyard community honored the life of Walter Cronkite and celebrated those who are carrying on his legacy. The annual Awards are presented to people who are using the power of the media to build a more educated and sustainable world.
Walter Cronkite’s daughter Kathy Cronkite presented the Awards along with citations from U.S. Senator John Kerry, Governor Deval Patrick and State Senator Dan Wolf. She also presented an autographed copy of Mr. Cronkite’s autobiography, A Reporter’s Life.
The event’s distinguished speaker was Nick Clooney, the former CBS anchor, TV journalist and television host who shared stories about Mr. Cronkite. In 2009 Clooney joined with President Obama and President Clinton, Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric, Mickey Hart, Jimmy Buffet and others to pay tribute at the CBS Memorial Service at Lincoln Center in New York City. Excerpts from the CBS Memorial Service were featured at the event.