According to the National Scholastic Press Association, the Echo was announced as one of the 49 finalists of the annual Newspaper Pacemaker competition. 

The 2019 Newspaper Pacemaker winners will be announced at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention Nov.21-24 in Washington, D.C., according to National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA).

Echo adviser Lori Keekley said being recognized as one of the finalists of the Newspaper Pacemaker award shows the dedication of the Echo staff. 

“It’s really exciting for the students and staff because it is the highest award NSPA gives,” Keekley said. “It’s a great reflection on the hard work the Echo students do on a daily basis.”

According to senior co-editor in chief of the Echo Marta Hill, the Echo staff working together on the newspaper shows how productive they are. 

“It is amazing to me that I can be a part of and I can lead a group that is in the top 49 in the nation. That is just so insane to me that I have this opportunity,” Hill said. “I am super proud of everyone for all the hard work that we put in last year because it was definitely a team effort.”

Keekley said being a finalist is an accomplishment since the Echo is competing among other high school publications nationally. 

“This is against everyone in the nation and not just everyone in the state, there were 49 total and 47 are high school publications and (the Echo is) one of the top 47 student news organizations in the United States, and that is a pretty big deal,” Keekley said.

According to Hill, the Pacemaker winners will be announced at a national journalism convention Nov. 21-24 in Washington D.C.

“What I am looking forward to the most is going on the journalism convention in D.C. (because)  that is where they announce if we get the Pacemaker,” Hill said. 

Hill said she wants to continue working alongside staff on the Echo to continue to improve high school journalism.

“I am looking forward to continuing to do what we have done in the last few years that I have been on Echo,” Hill said. “I think it’s incredibly cool that we can have a student-run newspaper and produce a very legit newspaper as a bunch of teenagers in our classroom at school, so I am excited to just keep doing that and hope to recruit more people.”

For more information on the NSPA finalists, visit the NSPA website.