The Tiger Print was recognized as a Pacemaker finalist earlier today.
“A Pacemaker is like the Pulitzer Prize for high school journalism,” adviser Jill Chittum said. “It is one of the top awards a publication staff can receive for all their hard work.”
To be nominated as a Pacemaker finalist, The Tiger Print staff sent in three issues from last year for judging.
According to the Pacemaker website, publications are judged on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.
“It is really exciting,” former co-editor-in-chief Stephanie Roche said. “Last year was a lot of fun, and everyone got along well, so it is exciting that our hard work has paid off and is being recognized.”
Chittum said it really helps when the students get recognition for all the work that they do.
“Newspaper kids work really hard,” Chittum said. “It’s not like other activities, like football, where a crowd comes and watches them do the work to cheer them on. They don’t really get recognized for a lot of that work, so anytime we get any sort of award, it’s a nice pat on the back for the students.”
Pacemaker recipients will be announced at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention from Nov. 11-14 in Kansas City.