The National Pacemaker Award was first given in 1927, by the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, the Associated Collegiate Press and National Scholastic Press Association, according to studentpress.org.
The National Scholastic Press Association presents awards for high school journalism, while the Associated Collegiate Press presents awards at the college level.
At both levels, print and online publications are eligible for the Pacemaker Award. There are several individual awards associated with the Pacemaker Award. Those include Story of the Year, Design of the Year, Picture of the Year, Convention Best of Show, the Broadcast Pacemaker and Broadcast Story of the Year.
According to studentpress.org, Pacemakers are selected based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.
Submissions are judged by professional journalists who are members of the Newspaper Association of America. Finalists are notified of their status a month before the National Collegiate Media Convention and the Fall National High School Journalism Convention.