After an incredible run for the 2025-26 Feather Online team, finishing with an 11th CSPA Gold Crown Award received in New York City, the squad is honored with a Proclamation Day in the City of Fresno. This is the Feather’s third time traveling to City Hall to be honored with a Proclamation Day, with the last time being a decade ago in 2016.
Mayor Jerry Dyer officially announced that Thursday, May 7, 2026, will be known as “Fresno Christian High School’s The Feather Online” Day in the City of Fresno, as he presented the award to the entire team. The Feather is one of eight groups recognized before the City Council on Thursday; others included Darrell Fifield Day, Peace Officers Memorial Day, and Fresno Preservation Month.
Through consistent hard work and dedication, many on the team have been honored with multiple awards, including some of the current seniors, who have received three Gold Crowns and a Silver Crown Award. Wrapping up another successful year, Editor-in-Chief Danielle Arndt, ’26, thinks back on her time on The Feather.
“Receiving recognition like this is so meaningful because it reflects beyond just our team’s achievements but honors the legacy built by every team before us,” Arndt said. “The beauty of the program is the collaboration between generations of students, which is simultaneously humbling and motivating as those of us moving on realize the effort we exert today sets up those who will come after us.”
Other members appreciate what an accomplishment it is to be recognized by their own city. Feather editor Austin Kinzle, ‘26, has been on the team for two years and attended the Feather trip to New York City for the CSPA Conference in March, where the team won the Gold Crown Award.
“The Feather is a lot to handle when your mindset is that it’s just for a grade and there is no reason for any of this,” Kinzle said. “Personally, I was nervous my first year on the team, worried about who was even going to read my work. But being able to go to New York and be around other journalists really solidified my realization that what our team does is important. But New York is not home; it is even better to be recognized for our hard work by those in our own community.”
Without experienced leadership, a team cannot move in the right direction and thrive in times of strife and adversity. Luckily for the Feather, the program is led by 2026 Gold Key Award winner and Adviser, Kori James, who has been to City Hall for the last two Proclamation Days, but has developed a special bond with the 2025-26 team.
“This team was comprised of an exceptionally driven and teachable group of students who set goals and trusted me to guide them,” James said. “It feels great to be validated and recognized in our own city for our efforts. I am so thankful to Mayor Dyer for recognizing their hard work with this distinction.”
As the Feather squad of 2025-26 wraps up its final weeks together, many memories have been made all around the country, bringing this team closer every day. It will be hard for the team to disperse into the following chapters of their lives, but the bond that was created this school year will last a lifetime.
For more from the Feather, visit Senior Reflection: Danielle Arndt and The future looks bright with robots.
