From Staff Reports

For the second time in three years, Coppell Student Media is a finalist for a National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Online Pacemaker.

NSPA announced 28 Online Pacemaker finalists on Monday. The finalists were among 148 national entries in the contest, which recognizes the top student media publications. Coppell Student Media, a 2012 Online Pacemaker finalist, is operated by The Sidekick newspaper staff and features videos from its campus student media partner, KCBY-TV.

“We established a goal from the start of the year to work every day to improve as student journalists and to serve the needs of our readers,” The Sidekick adviser Chase Wofford said. “It’s great to see these kids recognized for their efforts and being grouped with other programs both statewide and nationwide which I really respect and admire.”

Coppell Student Media is one of four finalists from Texas, joining Manestreamnews (McKinney High School), The Red Ledger (Lovejoy High School in Lucas) and MyJagNews (San Antonio Johnson High School).

According to the NSPA, the finalists were selected by “a team of professionals assembled from around the county. Entries were judged over the course several weeks, based on content, design, writing and editing, rich media and breaking news.”

Online Pacemaker winners will be announced at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention on April 12 in San Diego. Seven representatives  from Coppell Student Media will be attending  the awards ceremony at the convention.

NSPA began awarding Newspaper Pacemaker awards to publications in 1927, comparable to a Pulitzer Prize for student media. Newspaper Pacemakers are announced at each fall JEA/NSPA Convention, with Online Pacemakers announced at spring conventions.