The National Press Club has selected Karim Melek of Palatine, Illinois, as the recipient of its 2026 Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship. The $5,000 award is given to an exceptional high school senior who plans to pursue a career in journalism.
Melek, a senior at Palatine High School, impressed the judges with stellar leadership at his school’s newspaper, The Cutlass, where he serves as editor-in-chief. He also founded The Illinois New Voices Coalition, a statewide, student-driven movement to strengthen press freedom and adviser protections in Illinois.
“When I discovered a loophole in Illinois law that allowed schools to censor student journalists by targeting their advisers, I drafted House Bill 2932 to close it. I worked with lawyers from the Student Press Law Center, coordinated with legislative staff, and mobilized 45 student advocates across the state,” Melek said in his application essay.
“The bill died in committee. I founded the Illinois New Voices Coalition anyway, because I understood by then that press freedom is not abstract. It is the condition that makes all the other stories possible.”
Melek will attend Northwestern University in the fall, with plans to study journalism and political science.
“In my 26 years of teaching, I have rarely had a student with Karim’s versatility as a journalist, strength as a leader, and the passion of an advocate,” said Sean Berleman, Palatine High School teacher and The Cutlass adviser. “He actively works to ensure that student journalists have the freedom and support to report the truth.”
Other recommendation letters from his teachers and supervisors praised his superior writing and reporting skills, innovative approach to leadership, and commitment to press freedom rights for student journalists.
“Karim’s passion for journalism is remarkable,” said Palatine High School Principal Tony Medina. “His writing is the most compelling and sophisticated I have seen from a high school student. He approaches journalism not just as a craft, but as a calling.”
The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is named for a long-time National Press Club member who endowed a scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism.
“Karim’s energetic, creative advocacy for student journalists across Illinois speaks to a remarkable professional maturity and sense of purpose,” said National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. “We are proud to invest in his future at the Medill School of Journalism and look forward to watching his journalism career develop.”
In addition to funding, scholarship winners are awarded one-year complimentary membership to the National Press Club. National Press Club scholarships are administered by its nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute. Support the Institute’s student-focused programming with a donation today.
For press inquiries or questions about the National Press Club scholarship programs, contact Holly Butcher Grant with the National Press Club Journalism Institute at [email protected].
About the Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes First Amendment values by equipping journalists in Washington, D.C., and nationwide with the skills, knowledge, standards, resources and networks to empower and inform the public. The Institute is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.
About the Club
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. With 3,000 members from nearly every leading news organization, the Club is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.