The National Pacemaker Awards are awards for excellence in American student journalism, given annually since 1927. The awards are generally considered to be the highest national honors in their field, and are unofficially known as the "Pulitzer Prizes of student journalism."
The National Scholastic Press Association administers the contest for high school programs, while the Associated Collegiate Press administers the college and university contests. Pacemakers are awarded annually at the JEA/NSPA National Conference (for high schools) and the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention (for colleges) in the following categories: Newspaper, Online, Yearbook/Magazine, and Broadcast.
ACP, NSPA and the Newspaper Association of America Foundation have co-sponsored the Pacemaker competition since 1961. NSPA began the awards in 1927. The Pacemaker competition was discontinued in 1948-49, then resumed in 1961. The awards, which are considered by many to be the highest national honors for student journalism, are unique in their judging. Several issues from each newspaper's production schedule are randomly selected to be judged, which ensures that to be competitive for a Pacemaker, a publication must show consistent quality over an entire academic year.
Judges select Pacemaker Finalists and Pacemakers based on the following: coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.
Pacemakers are selected by the staff of a professional newspaper in the host city of the annual National College Media Convention, in the case of college papers, or the National High School Journalism Convention for high school publications. There are multiple awards in each category every year: in 2006, there were 26 high school winners.
This contest replaces the NSPA/ACP Best of the Net competition, which began in 1996. Member publication Web sites are not automatically entered in the Pacemaker competition; staffs must submit a Pacemaker entry form.
Online Pacemaker entries are judged during the months of February and March, based upon the following criteria: design, navigation, writing/editing, graphics and interactivity.
Yearbook/Magazine Pacemakers are judged based upon the following criteria: writing/editing, design, content, concept, photography, art and graphics.
In conjunction with the Yearbook Pacemaker competition, ACP/NSPA will recognize with an award of excellence the best interactive (CD/DVD) yearbooks in a separate contest. Interactive entries must include a copy of the printed book.
The NSPA awards Broadcast Pacemaker awards for student-produced television news programs at high schools.
An entry consists of a student-produced news program or segment of a longer news program, on VHS format video tape. For the purposes of this competition, student-produced means that the majority of the planning, writing, scripting, taping and editing of the program was done by students.
This contest is unique to the high school level, as no similar award is offered by the ACP to college broadcast programs. this is a lie
The following is a partial list of college and high school newspapers which have been awarded a National Pacemaker Award by the Associated Collegiate Press or National Scholastic Press Association, respectively.
The Advocate (Contra Costa College) (1990, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011)
The Auburn Plainsman (Auburn University) (1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014)
The Baker Orange (Baker University) (2004)
The Battalion (Texas A&M University) (2008)
The Cavalier Daily (University of Virginia) (1999)
Central Michigan Life (Central Michigan University) (1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1989, 1990, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014)
The Chimes (Biola University) (2011)
College Heights Herald (Western Kentucky University) (1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010)
The Crimson White (University of Alabama) (1977, 2015)
Daily Bruin (University of California, Los Angeles) (1990, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2016)
The Daily Egyptian (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale) (2002)
The Daily Iowan (University of Iowa) (2000, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2013)
The Daily Nebraskan (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
The Daily Northwestern (Northwestern University) (1994, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010)
The Daily Pennsylvanian (University of Pennsylvania) (1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007)
The Daily Reveille (Louisiana State University) (2003)
The Daily Tar Heel (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013)
The Daily Texan (The University of Texas at Austin) (1965, 1969, 1971, 1985)
The Daily of the University of Washington (The University of Washington) (2010)
District (Savannah College of Art and Design) (2004, 2008)
Eastern Echo (Eastern Michigan University) (1997, 1998)
El Don (Santa Ana College)
The Flat Hat (College of William and Mary) (2007)
The Daily Orange (Syracuse University) (2014, 2015, 2016)
FSView & Florida Flambeau (Florida State University) (2006, 2012, 2014)
The Gettysburgian (Gettysburg College) (2000)
The GW Hatchet (The George Washington University) (2005, 2008, 2011)
The Hoya (Georgetown University) (1930, 2008)
Indiana Daily Student (Indiana University) (1980, 1987, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)
The Ithacan (Ithaca College) (1993, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2008)
The Johns Hopkins News-Letter (Johns Hopkins University) (1995, 2003, 2005, 2007)
The Kentucky Kernel (University of Kentucky) (2006, 2008)
The Los Angeles Loyolan (Loyola Marymount University) (2007, 2011)
The Lookout (Lansing Community College) (1992)
The Maroon (Loyola University New Orleans) (1983, 1986, 1999, 2006)
The Maneater (University of Missouri) (1996, 1999, 2001, 2007)
Mars' Hill (Trinity Western University) (2008, 2010)
The Miami Hurricane (University of Miami) (1992, 2009)
The Miscellany News (Vassar College) (1940, 1963)
The Mercury (University of Texas at Dallas) (2005, 2015, 2016)
The Nevada Sagebrush (University of Nevada, Reno)(2008, 2009, 2011, 2015)
"The Northern Light" (University of Alaska, Anchorage) (2009, 2011)
The Northern Star (Northern Illinois University) (2008)
The Observer (Case Western Reserve University) (2000, 2004)
The Oklahoma Daily (University of Oklahoma (1989, 1994, 1995, 2004)
The Oracle (University of South Florida) (1967), in its first year of publication
The Orion (California State University, Chico) (1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
The Pendulum (Elon University) (2009)
The Polaris (North Seattle Community College) (2006)
The Red & Black (University of Georgia) (1935, 1937, 1941, 1972, 2010)
The Reflector (University of Indianapolis) (2009)
The Review (University of Delaware) (1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001)
Richland Chronicle (Richland College) (2000, 2001, 2007)
The State Hornet (California State University, Sacramento) (2000)
The State News (Michigan State University) (1963, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009)
The Sentinel (North Idaho College) (1991, 1994, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010)
The Sentinel (Kennesaw State University) (2004)
The Shorthorn (University of Texas at Arlington)
Student Life (Washington University in St. Louis) (2005, 2009, 2011)
The Tartan (Carnegie Mellon University) (1989, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2007)
The Technique (Georgia Tech) (2004)
The Temple News (Temple University) (2006)
The Triangle (Drexel University) (2004)
The Tulane Hullabaloo (Tulane University) (1979, 1980, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2013)
The University Daily Kansan (University of Kansas) (1971, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2005)
The Volante (University of South Dakota) (1993, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2008)
Washington Square News (New York University)
The Vanderbilt Hustler (Vanderbilt University) (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
Collegiate Times (Virginia Tech) (2007)
"Vermont Cynic" (University of Vermont) (2011)
The American River Review (American River College) (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
Rebel (East Carolina University) (2011, 2009, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996, 1985, 1984)
Cipher (Colorado College) (2012)
Colonnades (Elon University) (2010)
Inside (Indiana University) (2011, 2013)
Flux (University of Oregon) (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010)
Marr's Field Journal (The University of Alabama) (2009)
The Bridge (Bridgewater State College) (2006, 2011, 2012)
Metrosphere (Metropolitan State College of Denver) (2011)
The Collegian (South Dakota State University)
Caltech Undergraduate Research Journal (California Institute of Technology) (2004, 2007)
"The Point" (Biola University) (2008)
The Briar Cliff Review (2000, 1995)
Windhover (North Carolina State University) (1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010)
"Emerge" (University of Guelph-Humber) (2015)
The Auburn Plainsman (Auburn University) (2004)
Flux (University of Oregon) (2010, 2009)
The Badger Herald (University of Wisconsin–Madison) (2005, 2006)
The Northern Star (Northern Illinois University) (2002, 2003)
The Collegian (California State University-Fresno) (California State University-Fresno) (2007)
CU Independent (University of Colorado Boulder) (2016)
El Don (Santa Ana College)
The University Daily Kansan (University of Kansas) (2007, 2008, 2009)
The Daily Tar Heel (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (2005)
The Red & Black University of Georgia (2001, 2010)
The Richland Chronicle (Richland College) (2007)
North by Northwestern (Northwestern University) (2008)
The Daily Eastern News (Eastern Illinois University) (2008, 2009)
The Daily Targum (Rutgers University) (2010)
The Daily Illini (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) (2010)
The GW Hatchet (The George Washington University) (2006, 2008, 2010)
Indiana Daily Student (Indiana University) (2010)
The Maneater (University of Missouri) (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2012)
Student Life (Washington University in St. Louis) (2011)
The Tartan (Carnegie Mellon University) (2002, 2006)
The Hoya (Georgetown University) (2003, 2005)
The State News (Michigan State University) (2014)
Mustang Daily/Mustang News (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) (2007, 2010, 2014)
"HTV Magazine" (Hillcrest High School (Springfield, Missouri)) (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010)
"Valley Buzz" (McAllen High School (McAllen, Texas)) (1999)
"Central Intelligence" (Central High School (Springfield, Missouri)) (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Good Morning, Blue Valley (Blue Valley Unified School District, Overland Park, KS) (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
KGLE 3 Teen News (Allen High School, Allen, TX) (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Grady News Network (Henry W. Grady High School) (2005, 2010)
School Zone (Highland Park High School) (2006)
The Andover Shield (Bloomfield Hills Andover High School) (2007)
The Crane Clarion (Cranbrook Kingswood) (2007)
The Arapahoe Herald (Arapahoe High School) (2005, 2009)
The Redwood Bark(Redwood High School (2009,2010)
Blue & Gold (Findlay High School) (1999, 2002, 2008)
The Bruin Voice (Bear Creek High School)
The Campanile' (Palo Alto High School) (1996, 1997, 2001, 2004)
The Call (Kirkwood High School) (2008,2009)
The Central Times (Naperville Central High School) (1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006,2007,2008,2011)
The Chronicle (Tom C. Clark High School) (2006)
Corinthian (Grace M. Davis High School) (2006)
The Crusader (Salpointe Catholic High School)
Deerprints (Deerfield High School (Illinois)) (2006)
The Echo (Neuqua Valley High School) (2008)
The Echo (St. Louis Park High School) (2010)
The Prospector (Cupertino High School) (2010, 2014)
El Estoque (Monta Vista High School) (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013)
The Epic (Lynbrook High School) (1995, 2009)
The Epitaph (Homestead High School) (1993)
The Gargoyle (University Laboratory High School of Urbana, Illinois) (2007)
The Falcon (Saratoga High School) (2014)
The Falconer (Torrey Pines High School) (2010)
The Gazette (Granite Bay High School) (2000)
The Green Raider (Ridley High School) (1998, 1999)
The Grizzly Gazette (Granite Hills High School) (2007)
The Hawk Tawk (Bozeman Senior High School (Bozeman, Montana))(1978)
The HiLite (Carmel High School) (1992, 2012, 2014, 2015)
Highlander (McLean High School) (2004)
JagWire (Emerald Ridge High School) (2006)
The Kernal (East Bakersfield High School) (2006)
The Lakewood Times (Lakewood High School) (2000, 2001)
The Lion's Roar (Newton South High School) (2004)
The Little Hawk (Iowa City High School) (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2012)
The Lowell (Lowell High School) (1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012)
The Nexus (Westview High School) (2003, 2008)
The Octagon (Sacramento Country Day School) (2003)
The Oracle (Troy High School) (2003)
The Orange R (Roseburg Senior High School, Roseburg, Oregon) (1983)
The Pilot's Log (Hasbrouck Heights High School) (2006, 2011)
The Phillipian (Phillips Academy) (2012)
Prep News (Rockhurst High School) (2006)
The ReMarker (St. Mark's School of Texas) (2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
The Raven's Beak (Olathe Northwest High School) (2008)
The Review (St. John's School) (2015)
The Rising Phoenix (William T. McFatter Technical High School) (2005)
The Roosevelt News (Roosevelt High School) (2005)
Silver Chips (Montgomery Blair High School) (2002, 2004, 2006, 2009)
The Southerner (Henry W. Grady High School)(1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008)
The Spartana (Homestead High School) (1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009)
The Oracle (Troy High School) (2003)
The Statesman (Woodrow Wilson High School, Portland, Oregon) (1973, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1986)
The Sunrise (Corona del Sol High School) (2007)
The Surveyor (George Washington High School) (2007, 2008)
The Scroll (The American School in London) (2009)
The Tower (Grosse Pointe South High School) (2011)
The Voice (Lakota West High School) (2000)
The Winged Post (Harker School) (2008)
tjTODAY (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology) (2007, 2009)
Scot Scoop News" (Carlmont High School (Belmont, California)]) (2014)
"Clarion" (Riverside Brookfield High School) (2010)
The Foothill Dragon Press" (Foothill Technology High School (Ventura, California)]) (2010, 2011)
The Epic (Lynbrook High School) (2003)
The Feather Online (Fresno Christian High School) (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 )
The Paly Voice (Palo Alto High School) (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012)
Silver Chips Online (Montgomery Blair High School) (2004, 2005)
The Knight Errant (St. Louis Park, MN) (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Oakton Outlook Online (Oakton High School) (2010)
Penn Points (Penn Manor High School) (2010)
The Uproar (Mansfield High School) (2010)
Blue & Gold Today (Findlay High School) (2010)
The Communicator (Community High School) (2010)
The Lowell (Lowell High School) (2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2014)
JagWire (Emerald Ridge High School) (2002)
Above & Beyond (Robinson Secondary School) (2003)
Aegis (Lincoln-Way) (1994)
Aerie (Brentwood School) (1997)
Ambassador (Stevenson High School) (2002)
American (Independence High School) (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
Aquin (Saint Thomas High School) (2002, 2004)
Arapahoe Calumet (Arapahoe High School) Finalist in (2005)
Arvadan (Arvada High School) (1999)
Ash a Wut (Gabrielino High School) (2006, 2007)
Aurora (John W. North High School) (2005)
Beneath the Surface (Hooker High School) (2000)
Bobcat (Brink Junior High School) (1996, 2001)
Buccaneer (Pine Tree High School) (2005)
Calumet (Arapahoe High School) (2006)
Cayuse (Walnut High School) (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007,2009)
Ceniad (East Lansing High School) (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007)
Chase (Chase County High School) (1998)
Citadel (W.C. Overfelt High School) (1994, 1998, 1999, 2002)
Clamo (Clayton High School) (1994, 1997, 1999, 2002)
Cohiscan (Connersville High School) (2003, 2004)
Copa de Oro (South Pasadena High School) (1993, 1994)
Crest (Manchester High School North) (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Crimson & Blue (Abraham Lincoln High School) (1993)
Crusader (Manchester High School) (2000, 2002, 2006)
Cub Trax (Cupertino Junior High School) (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997)
Decamhian (Del Campo High School) (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007)
Deka (Huntington North High School) (1995, 1996)
Details (Whitney High School) (2006)
Don’t Even Think About It (Hooker High School) (2003)
Dragon (Lake Orion High School) (1998)
Ebb Tide (Carlson High School) (2003, 2004, 2005)
El Leon (Mansfield High School) (2000, 2001, 2002)
El Lobo (Basic High School) (1998, 2000)
Epic (Center High School) (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Equus (Dobson High School) (1996, 1999, 2004)
Escutcheon (Jane Addams Junior High School) (1994, 1995)
Etruscan (Glenbrook South High School) (2002, 2003, 2004,2010,2011,2012)
Eugenean (South Eugene High School) (1995)
Eurekana (Eureka High School) (1998, 2003)
Exposure (Scott County High School) (2000, 2001)
Fentonian (Fenton High School (Michigan)) (2003, 2006, 2015)
Finest Hours (Winston Churchill High School) (1993, 1996, 1997)
Flashlight (Abilene High School) (1993, 1995, 2000)
Freeflight (Torrey Pines High School) (2001)
Golden Eagle (Cypress Falls High School) (2005)
Golden Visions (Bonanza High School) (1998)
Greyhound (Lyman High School) (1999)
Hauberk (Shawnee Mission East High School) (1996, 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007)
Hawk (Pleasant Grove High School) (2006)
Helios (Sunny Hills High School) (2003)
Heritage (Horizon High School) (1999)
Hi-S-Potts (Pottsville High School) (1997)
Highlander (Highland Park High School) (1996, 1998, 2003)
Hoofbeats (Burges High School) (1998, 2001, 2002, 2004)
Hooker (Hooker High School) (1999)
Horizon (Blue Valley Northwest High School) (2004)
Hornet (East Central High School) (1997)
Indian (Shawnee Mission North High School) (1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Key (Hanover Central High School) (1996, 2000, 2002)
KLA-TA-WA (Snohomish High School) (2008)
La Vista (Mountain View High School) (1997)
Lair (Shawnee Mission Northwest High School) (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007)
Lance and Shield (Riverdale High School) (1994)
Las Memorias (Tascosa High School) (1996)
Little Things (Bay Village High School) (2003)
Log (Columbus North High School) (2004, 2005, 2006)
Logue (Northwood High School) (2006)
Lone Star (James Bowie High School) (1993)
Magician (Muncie Central High School) (2002)
Make Fun of Bay (Bay Village High School) (2001)
Maple Leaves (Fairmont High School) (1995)
Marksmen (St. Mark's School of Texas) (2004, 2006)
Maverick (McNeil High School) (2004)
Odyssey (Chantilly High School) (1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007)
Owensboroan (Owensboro High School) (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
Panther Tale (Duncanville High School) (2002, 2003)
Panther Tracks (Putnam City North High School) (1999)
Panther (Spring Hill High School) (2004)
Paragon (Munster High School) (1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006)
Patriots’ Pride (Lake Brantley High School) (1996)
Pegasus (Homestead High School) (2002, 2005)
Pilot (Redondo Union High School) (2003, 2005, 2010, 2011)
Pioneer (Kirkwoord High School) (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
Plan B (Bay High School) (2006)
Quinault (Aberdeen High School) (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)
Rampages (Casa Roble High School) (1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012)
Red and Black (Lawrence High School) (1999)
Reverie (Northwestern Lehigh High School) (2002)
Roughneck (White Oak High School) (2003, 2006)
Roundup (Great Falls High School) (2001)
Rouser (Riverside Brookfield High School) (2001)
Saga (Loudoun Valley High School) (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Titanian (San Marino High School) (2012)
Scroll (Hoover High School) (1995)
Shield (Robert E. Lee High School) (2001, 2003, 2005)
Silvertip (Wichita Northwest High School) (2000, 2003)
Sin Igual (Cerritos High School) (1995, 2000)
So Anyway (Bay High School) (2004)
Spirit (Seeger High School) (2005)
Sunset (Corona del Sol High School) (1998, 2005)
Talisman (Saratoga High School) (2003)
The Belltower (St. Thomas' Episcopal School, Houston, Texas) (2011, 2012)
The Deer (Deer Park High School) (2004)
The Dragon (Johnston High SChool) (2006)
The Edge (Glacier Peak High School) (2009)
The JAG (Mill Valley High School) (2003, 2007, 2009)
The Lion (McKinney High School) (2003)
The Stampede (J.W. Mitchell High School) (2005)
The Tiger (Texas High School) (2004, 2006)
Tiger (Jesuit High School) (1998)
Tom Tom (Danville Community High School) (2001, 2003, 2004)
Tonitrus (Rocklin High School) (2006)
Trail (Overland High School) (1998, 2000)
Treasure Chest (Putnam City High School) (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004)
Triune (Trinity High School) (2006)
True Blue (Circle High School) (1993, 1995, 1996, 1999)
Tukwet (Rancho Cucamonga High School) (1999)
Valhalla (Lynbrook High School) (2008, 2010)
Viking (Hoover High School) (2003)
Volsung (Downey High School) (1998, 1999, 2001, 2011)
Westwind (West Henderson High School) (2004, 2005, 2006)
Wings (Arrowhead Christian Academy) (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
Interactive
The Lake Standley Lake High School (Westminster, Colorado) Winner in (2014)
Devils' Advocate Hinsdale Central High School (Hinsdale, Illinois) (2013)
Orange and Black (Grand Junction High School (Grand Junction, Colorado)Winner in (2007)
The Communicator (Community High School, Ann Arbor MI)
The West Side Story (Iowa City West High School, Iowa City IA) (2011)
The Muse (Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts (West Palm Beach, Florida) Winner in (2011, 2012)
JagWire Emerald Ridge High School (South Hill, Washington) Winner in 2006
