The National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) judged 148 entries for the 2014 Online Pacemaker contest, naming 28 publications as finalists in the competition. The winners will be announced at the Journalism Education Association (JEA) and NSPA spring conference in San Diego, April 12.

For the second time since 2005, The Feather was not named an Online Pacemaker finalist, previously missing the nod in 2011.

After winning a Pacemaker during her first year as Editor-in-Chief, senior Tynin Fries is extremely disappointed by the missed acknowledgment. However, Fries knows the work the staff has put in this year and believes the staff is at the same level as all the finalists mentioned.

“After having our winningest year last year, I had really high hopes that we would be finalists for both the Gold Crown and the Online Pacemaker,” Fries said. “Even though this is really disappointing and not the way I wanted my Feather career to end, I know that we are still just as good as always. This year we just failed to show the judges that.”

The entries were judged by a group of professionals from across the country who graded the sites based on content, design, writing and editing, rich media and breaking news.

Finalists are located across the country, including seven from California: Scot Scoop, The Tam News, Chronicle, Raven Report, thelowell.org, The Carillon and The Foothill Dragon Press.

The finalists and winners will be recognized at the JEA/NSPA Spring Journalism Conference, April 12. Members of The Feather staff will attend the conference with adviser Greg Stobbe in mid April.

Besides the Online Pacemaker Award contest, The Feather staff is also a Gold Crown finalist and will attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s (CSPA) spring conference in March 2014 to either receive a Silver or Gold Crown, March 21.

Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more news, read the March 4 article, BRIEF: Fundraiser to be held at Applebee’s, March 10.