Online excellence

NSPA Pacemaker competition recognizes 34 websites as finalists for prestigious award

March 12, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic websites were recognized today by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 34 finalists in its annual Pacemaker competition.

Pacemaker finalists will be honored and will receive plaques during a special recognition ceremony on Friday, April 25, at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.

Pacemaker winners will be announced for the first time on Saturday, April 26 at the convention’s awards ceremony.

While the judges have named the Pacemaker finalists, the Pacemaker winners have not been selected.

 “The judging teams will now continue to study the sites named as Pacemaker finalists on a frequent basis,” said Gary Lundgren, associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition. “The Pacemaker winners will be selected shortly before they are named in April, so for the 34 schools we are naming as finalists today, the competition is still happening in real time.”

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” Executive Director Laura Widmer said. “NSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

The NSPA Pacemaker, one of the oldest awards for scholastic journalism, has a rich tradition. The association started presenting the prestigious award to high school newspapers soon after the organization was founded in 1921. Throughout the years, yearbooks, magazines, online sites, broadcast programs and innovation were added to the competition. 

The 34 Pacemaker finalists represent 15 states. California led with nine finalists, followed by Texas with five.

To select the Pacemaker finalists, judges carefully studied approximately 125 sites submitted from 27 states and three countries.

The online sites competed in two different categories based on school population. Two teams of three judges studied every entry, analyzing its strengths. The status of each entry was agreed upon by at least two of the three judges.

In this competition, only the online news product was judged. The news sites were either digital companions to print newspapers and newsmagazines or online-only products. In all, 71 sites were companions to print newspapers and newsmagazines and 54 were online-only products.

A separate 2024 NSPA Newspaper/Newsmagazine Pacemaker competition recognized 45 print news publications and specialty magazines in November. In all, 10 schools earned Pacemaker recognition for both their print and online products.

A “From the Online Pacemaker Judges” panel discussion is planned for JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle. Judges will share what sets apart the Pacemaker-winners and showcase the sites.

An online webinar is also planned for those unable to attend the Seattle convention. 

Please join us at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention April 24-26, 2025, in Seattle.

The convention offers hundreds of instructional sessions, keynote speakers from national newsmakers, dozens of media critiques, JEA’s popular on-site media contests and the announcement of NSPA Pacemaker winners. NSPA also offers a convention Best of Show competition that celebrates current student media work.

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M-A Chronicle
Menlo-Atherton High School
Atherton, California
Editors-in-chief: Celine Chien, Ben Siegel
Adviser: John McBlair

Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California
Editor-in-chief: Jackson Sneeringer
Adviser: Justin Raisner

Berkeley High Jacket
Berkeley High School
Berkeley, California
Editor-in-chief: Ella Creane
Adviser: Peter Rodrigues

El Estoque
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California
Editors-in-chief: Samika Bhatkar, Ananya Chaudhary, Kathryn Foo, Jami Lim, Alan Tai, Alyssa Yang
Advisers: Vennessa Nava, Julia Satterthwaite

The Accolade
Sunny Hills High School
Fullerton, California
Editor-in-chief: Seowon Han
Adviser: Tommy Li

The Pearl Post
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
Lake Balboa, California
Editor-in-chief: Jenny Marquez
Adviser: Adriana Chavira

The Oracle
The Archer School for Girls
Los Angeles, California
Editor-in-chief: Surya Patil
Adviser: Kristin Taylor

The Falconer
Torrey Pines High School
San Diego, California
Editor-in-chief: Makaylah Gerling
Adviser: Kara Adler

The Mirror
Van Nuys High School
Van Nuys, California
Editors-in-chief: Olamide Olumide, Madison Thacker
Adviser: Ron Goins

The BluePrint
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Kailey Calvo, Greta Carrasco
Adviser: Brit Taylor

Muse
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
West Palm Beach, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Ellie Symons, Aiden Velez
Adviser: Carly Gates

Odyssey Media Group
Clarke Central High School
Athens, Georgia
Editors-in-chief: Wyatt Meyer, Lea D’Angelo
Adviser: David A. Ragsdale

The Southerner
Midtown High School Atlanta, Georgia
Editors-in-chief: Cate Barton, Farris Duwayri, Connie Erdozain, Liam Geissler-Norseng, Sierra Pape, Lily Rachwalski
Adviser: Delbert Ellerton

Metea Media
Metea Valley High School
Aurora, Illinois
Editors-in-chief: Dhiya Ashlyn, Dhaya Sharmila
Adviser: Adam Page

U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Illinois
Editors-in-chief: Jaya Alenghat, Chloe Alexander, Clare McRoberts
Adviser: Logan Aimone

Niles West News
Niles West High School
Skokie, Illinois
Editors-in-chief: Khadija Khan, Leila Meseljevic
Adviser: Rachel Gross

HiLite
Carmel High School
Carmel, Indiana
Editors-in-chief: Ayaan Nadeem, Helena Wang
Adviser: Jim Streisel

The Little Hawk
Iowa City High School
Iowa City, Iowa
Editors-in-chief: Tai Caputo, Kate Meis
Adviser: Jonathan Rogers

Mill Valley News
Mill Valley High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Editors-in-chief: Ian Chern, Molly Griffin, Evan LeRoy, Maddie Martin
Adviser: Kathy Habiger

Manual RedEye
duPont Manual High School
Louisville, Kentucky
Editor-in-chief: Grace Fridy
Adviser: Liz Palmer

The Gator
Brimmer and May School
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Editor-in-chief: Amelia Bowman
Adviser: David Cutler

Wayland Student Press Network
Wayland High School
Wayland, Massachusetts
Editors-in-chief: Reva Datar, Sasha Libenzon
Advisers: Eric Bosco, Sarah Lee

The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Editor-in-chief: Aarushi Bahadur
Adviser: Kathryn Campbell

FHS Today
Francis Howell Central High School
Cottleville, Missouri
Editors-in-chief: Hannah Halterman, Colin Nichols
Adviser: Matthew Schott

FHN Today
Francis Howell North High School
Saint Charles, Missouri
Editor-in-chief: Drew Johnson
Adviser: Aaron Manfull

The Wingspan
Gretna East High School
Omaha, Nebraska
Editor-in-chief: Madeline Petrick
Adviser: Ranae Duncan

Southwest Shadow
Southwest Career and Technical Academy
Las Vegas, Nevada
Editor-in-chief: Philipos Alebachew
Adviser: Matthew LaPorte

The Spoke
Conestoga High School
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Editors-in-chief: Aren Framil, Howard Kim
Advisers: Laura Howard, Miriam Terman, Nicole Zakorchemny

The Voice
Vandegrift High School Austin, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Julia Bychowski, Katherine Dale, Aisha Rashid
Adviser: Jessica Stamp

Coppell Student Media
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas
Editor-in-chief: Sukirtha Muthiah
Adviser: Chase Wofford

Wingspan
Liberty High School
Frisco, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Christine Han, Addyson Schick, Sarayu Bongale
Adviser: Brian Higgins

The Rider Online
Legacy High School
Mansfield, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Katie Keating, Kati Waguespack
Advisers: Rachel Dearinger, Leland Mallett

Tiger Times Online
Texas High School
Texarkana, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Kunan Anjum, Oviya Justin
Advisers: Clint Smith, Laura Spicher

The Standard
The American School in London
London, England
Editors-in-chief: Sophia Bateman, Tara Behbehani
Adviser: Louisa Avery