2016 Newspaper Pacemaker Finalists announced

Congratulations to the 50 publications that qualified to be a NSPA Newspaper Pacemaker finalist or winner!

Judging was a challenging process: It spanned three days — July 11 to 13 — with all judges working together to make decisions in Minneapolis. On the first day, three college newspaper advisers with professional journalism experience began narrowing down the 266 total entries. At the end of the day, there were about 130 left.

“For me, a successful entry mixed clean designs with dominant photos and solid writing — this means few typos, a decent lead that doesn’t include a date or repetitive tactics like overuse of the word ‘imagine’ to question readers,” one judge explained.

The second day of judging consisted of picking the best 50 publications. It was a much more tedious process, according to NSPA Contest and Critique Coordinator Mariah Keith, and it kept the judges busy from morning until night.

On the final day, a fourth judge helped make the final decision about which finalist publications would be named winners. Each entrant was projected onto a screen and discussed by the team of judges. Their comments, suggestions and feedback will be disclosed to all finalists and winners.

“I’m always impressed with how good high school journalists are around the nation,” said the fourth judge. “The best were just amazing storytellers in so many different ways. … I was really impressed this year.”

The winners will be revealed at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Indianapolis, Nov. 10-13.

We’d like to thank all publications for entering, and extend another congratulations to our finalists that came out on top despite stiff competition.

 

CS Press
Cactus Shadows High School, Cave Creek, Arizona

The Titan Times
Antelope High School, Antelope, California

El Estoque
Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, California

The Town Crier
Paul Revere Charter Middle School, Los Angeles, California

Verde
Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, California

Eye of the Tiger
Roseville High School, Roseville, California

The Broadview
Convent of the Sacred Heart High School, San Francisco, California

The Saratoga Falcon
Saratoga High School, Saratoga, California

The Lake
Standley Lake High School, Westminster, Colorado

The Lion’s Tale
Oviedo High School, Oviedo, Florida

J. Hop Times
John Hopkins Middle School, St. Petersburg, Florida

Odyssey
Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia

The Blade
Woodward Academy, College Park, Georgia

Carpe Diem
Decatur High School, Decatur, Georgia

The HiLite
Carmel High School, Carmel, Indiana

The Triangle
Columbus North High School, Columbus, Indiana

Inklings
Crown Point High School, Crown Point, Indiana

Crier
Munster High School, Munster, Indiana

The Little Hawk
Iowa City High School, Iowa City, Iowa

Black & White
Johnston High School, Johnston, Iowa

The Express
Blue Valley Northwest High School, Overland Park, Kansas

The Standard
Blue Valley Southwest High School, Overland Park, Kansas

The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas

The JagWire
Mill Valley High School, Shawnee, Kansas

The Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas

Paladin
Kapaun Mount Carmel High Scool, Wichita, Kansas

On the Record
duPont Manual High School, Louisville, Kentucky

Communicator
Community High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Uncaged
Stockbridge High School, Stockbridge, Michigan

The Echo
St. Louis Park High School, St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Messenger
Marquette High School, Chesterfield, Missouri

The Globe
Clayton High School, Clayton, Missouri

The Kirkwood Call
Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

The View
Park Hill South High School, Riverside, Missouri

North Star
Francis Howell North High School, Saint Charles, Missouri

Image
Lafayette High School, Wildwood, Missouri

The Exonian
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire

Pilot’s Log
Hasbrouck Heights High School, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey

Nighthawk NewsMagazine
First Flight High School, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

Spark
Lakota East High School, Liberty Township, Ohio

The Eagle Angle
Allen High School, Allen, Texas

Digit
Gorzycki Middle School, Austin, Texas

The Featherduster
Westlake High School, Austin, Texas

The ReMarker
St. Mark’s School of Texas, Dallas, Texas

Raider Rumbler
Rouse High School, Leander, Texas

Prowler
Stony Point High School, Round Rock, Texas

Uncaged
Freedom High School, South Riding, Virginia

The Blazer
Timberline High School, Lacey, Washington

Hawkeye
Mountlake Terrace High School, Mountlake Terrace, Washington

The Puma Press
University Prep, Seattle, Washington