The Pearl Post named Online Pacemaker finalist for second year in a row

Kaleigh Tapaoan • March 11, 2026

DPMHS Student Medias staff attend the Online Pacemaker finalists ceremony at the national high school journalism convention in Seattle on April 25, 2025. On March 12, The Pearl Post website was named a finalist for the Online Pacemaker for the second year in a row.

The Pearl Post was named an Online Pacemaker Finalist on March 4 by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). The publication has been recognized with this award two years in a row, this year being the sixth time the website’s been a finalist.

The NSPA is a journalism organization consisting of many publications that also host events and competitions for student journalists and scholastic advisers throughout the school year. Professional journalists and designers assigned by the NSPA determine which school publications get selected as Online Pacemaker finalists. They emphasize on the prominent qualities of consistent online news and creative storytelling of people in different communities–this was something The Pearl Post was able to demonstrate, even during a time of an abundance of breaking news and concerns in the world.

Many students on staff for The Pearl Post were shocked and delighted when they initially heard about the news on Wednesday, including Online Editor-In-Chief Tania Lopez who looks forward to publishing more engaging stories on the website.

“I was really surprised when I first heard the news,” Lopez said. “Just hearing Ms. Chavira say, ‘We’re finalists!’ to the class made me think about how I thought we weren’t going to get it. The website’s gotten more interactive and I think we can definitely keep up the consistency of publishing stories online. We’ve become more of a household name within the valley since a lot more publications know of us now.”

The Pacemaker Award has been presented by the NSPA for around a century and has developed six other competitive Pacemaker media awards besides the online category. On March 4, the NSPA announced 40 finalists for this year’s Online Pacemaker Competition.The Pearl Post stands as finalists with other California high schools such as Van Nuys High School and Brea Olinda High School.

Although the finalists for the Online Pacemaker have been announced, the official winners have yet to be selected during the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention on April 16-18 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All finalist plaques and awards will be given in person at the convention.

“I think it’s very remarkable that we are a finalist again because we are a very small school, which kind of limits what news is out there or what stories people are telling,” journalism advisor Adriana Chavira said. “The staff does a lot of work and I’m glad that they’re being rewarded by this recognition.”

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About the Contributor

Kaleigh Tapaoan, Sports Editor

Kaleigh Tapaoan is this year’s Sports Editor for The Pearl Post. This is her first and last year on staff and she is enthusiastic about learning new journalism skills and being part of a resilient team. Aside from The Pearl Post, she contributes to the school by being the Secretary for the Class of 2026 as well as the ASB Treasurer. She is a Pearl Ambassador and the Pride Club vice president. Outside of school, she is the Birmingham Community Charter High School Swim Team captain and part of the year-round Los Angeles Swim Club. She looks forward to sports journalism and in her free time, she likes to draw, listen to music, go to concerts and hang out with her friends.