CHC - Raymond Pryke Honors Award

Raymond Pryke was born in England in 1923. At age 18 he enlisted in the Royal Air Force and was sent to Texas for flight training. He was among the forces at D-Day flying over Normandy to protect the invading US forces. After the war, he first studied at the Royal Naval Academy, then finished his degree at Trinity College, University of Toronto. He had developed a love for the US during his time flight training and relocated to Los Angeles. He developed a very successful career in real estate in both the LA area and the high desert (Hesperia area). Pryke became a US citizen in 1954, although he retained his British and Canadian citizenship as well. He acquired a newspaper and embarked on a career in journalism. Over time he founded, owned or acquired ten newspapers.

At the time of his death in February of 2015, he was the owner and publisher of Valleywide Newspapers, based in the High Desert. Passionate about exposing political corruption and the right to free speech, Pryke was an astute researcher and consummate storyteller. He also believed in the importance on involvement in one’s community.

The Raymond Pryke Honors Scholarship pays tribute to Ray Pryke’s interests and abilities and will be awarded to a student in the College Honors Institute who has demonstrated academic excellence, research skills, and overall involvement in the Crafton Hills College and College Honors Institute communities. The scholarship recipient should be graduating from CHC and transferring to a four-year institution.

Criteria: student must be an active participant in the CHC Honors Program; have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher; will be transferring to a 4-year institution in the fall semester. Preference given to students who actively serves his/her community, has participated in Honors activities, and has participated in research conferences. Also, preference will be given to students who intend to pursue further education in a field that embodies and encourages the principles espoused by Mr. Pryke such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, integrity in government and more. Students must also respond to supplemental application and essay prompts when contacted by the Honors Coordinator to be considered for this award.