Walter Cronkite Awards Ceremony this Sunday

Walter Cronkite, best known as a CBS Evening News anchor for more than 19 years and as "the most trusted man in America" will be honored this Sunday as the Stone Soup Leadership Institute and the Martha's Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative (MVYLI) celebrate the Second Annual Walter Cronkite Awards Ceremony. This ceremony will recognize island students who have made it a daily priority to improve the lives of others.

Cronkite was the honorary chairperson of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute for nearly a decade. The ceremony serves as a time when the Institute can both honor Cronkite’s vision of preparing our youth as future leaders as well as those youth who carry on this vision.

This year distinguished leaders such as Captain Ed Jerome, Ray Ellis, Ted Morgan and Rose Styron will be on hand to honor Cronkite.  Cronkite's daughter Kathy Cronkite will present a youth and an adult Walter Cronkite award. Meagan McDonough, a junior at the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School, will be receiving the youth award and Len Morris will receive the adult award.

McDonough, a founding member of the MVYLI who served as a delegate to the Institute’s 6th Annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development, is dedicated to positive educational media, especially to inspire young people. McDonough has been MVYLI’s intern at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Television Station (MVTV), has traveled to Boston with MVYLI youth to present the MVYLI Sustainable Vineyard Map to Senator John Kerry’s staff and the local ABC-TV station and served as MVYLI’s representative to the Cape & Islands Youth Congress, where she discussed giving young people an opportunity to share their ideas with their communities and the world.  

Morris is the director of the social documentary production company Galen Films, whose films focus on children’s human rights. They have produced a trilogy of films: Stolen Childhoods, Rescuing Emmanuel and The Same Heart. The films focus on the causes and best practice solutions to child labor, children on the streets and chronic poverty. Morris also advocates for children before government agencies, on campuses, at conferences and through his participation in the online community, MEDIA VOICES FOR CHILDREN. Morris was the director of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute’s video narrated by Cronkite, In Celebration of Heroes.

Additionally, the ceremony will include a video produced by the MVYLI, a presentation of the MVYLI Sustainable Vineyard Map, citations from Senator Kerry, State Senator Dan Wolfe and State Senator Timothy Madden and music by David Crohan.

The ceremony takes place at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown from 5 to 6 p.m. this Sunday, July 17.