The National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) has announced that Metea Media is nominated as a finalist for the 2026 Pacemaker Award. Metea Media is one of 40 publications from across the country that were nominated. This is the sixth time this publication has been recognized and nominated, five times for the website and once for the print magazine.
“[We are] chosen based upon publications, timeliness, and the number of stories.” Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ryder Preston Brown said. “There are many different qualifications that go into it overall.”
The Online Pacemaker Award recognizes high school newspaper websites that display strong journalism and consistent coverage. According to NSPA, there are judges from all around the country who review each site and evaluate its strengths before selecting the finalists.
“As Pacemaker finalists, the website Metea Media was recognized as being in the top 10% in the country,” Newspaper teacher and advisor Adam Page said.
The Metea Media staff, from reporters to photographers and graphic designers, work throughout the year to publish stories covering school events, student activities, and issues that affect the school community.
“The newspaper is who represents the voice of the students here at our school,” Page said.
All 400 submitted entries are evaluated by judges based on the quality shown on the websites. The judges look at the overall presentation of the websites, including the reporting, storytelling, and visual aid elements.
They’re looking for a frequency of updating, multimedia elements, and that they’re representing the news of the school community.” Page said.
The finalists will be reviewed again before the winners are announced in Minnesota at the National Convention in April.
For the Metea Media staff, the nomination reflects the hard work the student journalists put into reporting stories and representing the voices of students at Metea Valley High School. The staff has put a lot of hard work into what they do, indicating their importance and impact on the newspaper.
“My job is to give everyone a direction, create structures and systems that allow the staff to work together,” Page said. “I try to set goals and encourage students to set their goals, so they continue to grow.”
▸ Rude or obscene language (i.e. swear words, sexual jokes, violent threats, etc.)
▸ Hate speech (i.e. racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.)
▸ Insults towards a specific student or a teacher
▸ Content that is irrelevant to the article or does not add to the discussion
▸ Submitting comments under somebody else's name
Refer to the student handbook for further specifics on what is considered appropriate.
The Social Media Editor will read and evaluate all comments. Should there be any issues with a particular comment, the Social Media Editor will consult the newspaper adviser and Online Editor-in-Chief.