After months of competition for the Online Pacemaker, the National Scholastic Press Association announced the finalists for this prestigious award, March 12. Among the 252 entries The Feather Online was among 50 finalists who qualified.

According to the NSPA’s website, the Pacemaker is the highest honor they award. This award has been referred to as the Pulitzer Prize of high school journalism. The Feather received an Online Pacemaker last year as well as winning one in 2006, 2008 and 2010 and was qualified for the award in 2007 and 2009.

Two separate categories were made based on school size, to split up the participants of the competition — less than 1500 enrollment and 1500 or greater. Amongst the 50 finalists there were 20 in the small school division along with The Feather. According to the NSPA, over 2,000 online high school newspapers currently exist and have the opportunity to participate in competition.

In addition to The Feather, the 12 other Online Pacemaker finalists from California include The Lancer Link of Carlsbad High School, Carlsbad; El Estoque of Monta of Vista High School, Cupertino; Blue Devil HUB of Davis Senior High School, Davis; GraniteBayToday.org of Granite Bay High School, Granite Bay; Bark of Redwood High School, Larkspur; Mustang Morning News of Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach; The Paly Voice of Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto; Eye of the Tiger of Roseville High School, Roseville; The Carillon of Bellarmine College Preparatory School, San Jose; Christopher McAdamis of Milken Community High School, Los Angeles; The Pearl Post of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Van Nuys; and The Foothill Dragon Press of Foothill Technology High School, Ventura.

Finalists will be recognized at the NSPA/Journalism Education Association (JEA) National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco, April 25-28. The Feather will attend the convention, where Adviser Greg Stobbe, Editor-in-Chief Tynin Fries, ’14, Senior Editor Maddie Yee, ’13, Features Editor Viviana Hinojosa, ’14, Multi-Media Anchor Callista Fries, ’15, and Senior Videographer Juan Ruelas, ’13, will be formally speaking.

“This award is like the cherry on top of The Feather’s amazing year,” Fries said. “We’ve been nationally recognized already with the All-American and Columbian Honors. Our community is starting to recognize us, and I couldn’t have asked for a better year. The staff continues to amaze me and I feel like a proud mom right now. This is such a huge honor; it’s crazy to think such a tiny school like us can pull this off.”

The Feather received a Silver Crown in 2009 and 2012 and a Gold Crown in 2010 and 2011. Additionally, in an NSPA website critique, The Feather was named All-American, the highest level of recognition, with Five Marks of Distinction, in September of 2011 and Four Marks of Distinction in November of 2012.

“In August I never would have dreamt that a staff of 14 that started the year would be able to mature enough, work hard enough and be dedicated enough to qualify this year for the Online Pacemaker,” Stobbe said. “After losing 19 seniors and 21 total leave the 2012 class, the current staff willed itself to learn enough to continue the journalism tradition at FC. I’m proud of their work ethic and willingness to work as a team; they make me proud.”

As Senior Editor, Yee is thrilled to see the staff’s hard work paying off and appreciates being nominated as a Pacemaker finalist. Though it is her final year in high school, she believes that the staff members will continue to succeed with their quality of work.

“Honestly, I am beyond ecstatic,” Yee said. “When I found out that we made Pacemaker finalists, I felt a rush of almost disbelief, but overall excitement. I have seen this staff work so hard throughout the past few months and it is very rewarding to know that everyone’s efforts are paying off. Even though I am sad to be leaving the staff at the end of the school year, I know that The Feather will continue to accomplish great things through each staff member.”

In addition to the Pacemaker competition, The Feather annually contends for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s (CSPA) Online Crown Award. Though results have yet to be announced, the publications editors will travel to New York City to attend the 89th annual Scholastic Convention, held at Columbia University, March 20-23. The Feather is assured of winning at least a Silver Crown.

For more information on the Pacemaker Award, read the NSPA’s press release. For more information on The Feather, read the April 16, 2012, article Feather accepts fourth Pacemaker; the March 14, 2011 article, The Feather misses Pacemaker nod; the March 21, 2011, article, The Feather takes home 2nd Gold Crown or email Stobbe or follow The Feather on Twitter: @thefeather.

For more news, read the March 8, 2013, article, Campus community to gather for spring convention.