HOULTON — Benjamin Austin, a 2008 graduate of Houlton High School, has been designated a Gannett Scholar by the Guy P. Gannett Scholarship Fund of the Maine Community Foundation. This designation includes an award of $5,000 for the 2008-09 academic year. Recipients may apply for renewal of this scholarship on a yearly basis, while completing an undergraduate or graduate program.
The Guy P. Gannett Scholarship Fund was established in 2000 to provide scholarships to graduates of Maine high schools pursuing careers in journalism. Selection is based on excellence in academic performance, commitment to journalism and financial need.
In high school, Austin maintained highest honors and is a member of the National Honor Society. He was involved as editor, writer and photographer for the high school newspaper, The Houlton High Times. He participated in many video projects shown to the community on the local cable system through Beacon TV and has been a guest radio announcer for WHOU.
During his senior year he was an intern at The Pioneer Times, working in the area of sports news with Gloria Austin. He is employed this summer as a staff writer for The Pioneer Times.
Austin will be attending Emerson College in Boston in the fall, majoring in print and multimedia journalism. He is the son of Scott and Tara Austin.
