Following an exceptional 2012-13 year, the Central Focus turned up as one of the 10 finalists in the tabloid style newspaper category in the Nation Scholastic Press Association’s 2013 Newspaper Pacemaker contest. This year, the contest had more than 300 entries in general, and is also the first year for the Central Focus to be recognized as one of the finest school papers in the country.

“The people we had on staff were incredibly talented,” said senior executive editor Erin Schroeder, who was a section editor last year. “The work [they] produced was great quality and something we all were very proud of.”

The entries, according to the NSPA website, were judged on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, layout and design, and photography, art and graphics.

Schroeder mentions FHC alumni and executive editors of last year’s staff Kelci Davis and Maddie Wilson as playing a particularly important role in the success of the Central Focus.

“The expertise and design capability of Kelci and Maddie really gave the paper identity,” said Schroeder.

While the Central Focus website, FHCtoday.com, has been recognized before by the NSPA, the publication staff is very proud of its accomplishment with the paper.

“It’s exciting because our hard work payed off,” said senior executive editor Madelyn Newton, one of last year’s section editors. “The whole staff was extremely deserving of this award, and it’s exciting that we all get to share this amazing accomplishment.”