AUSTIN – For the first time in its 51-year history, The Channels Newspaper was awarded two national Pacemaker awards from the Associated Collegiate Press – the Pulitzer Prize for American student journalists – for both its print and online publications.

Nine students and two journalism instructors traveled to Austin, Texas to attend the four-day National College Media Convention, winning and placing in each of the three categories they competed for, including spot-news photograph.

“I’m deeply proud of The Channels and all of the hard work that went in to creating this fantastic publication,” said Kenny Lindberg, former editor in chief.

Photo Editor James Sinclair earned a second place award for his spot-news photograph – a panoramic view of the Jesusita Fire’s destruction from the top of Tunnel Road.

“There’s two thousand students in the room, that’s hundreds of newspapers – and that’s one guy that got a better shot than me,” Sinclair said. “I’m ecstatic.”