Wingspan, the school’s online student-led news site, was recognized by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) this past weekend as an Online Pacemaker Finalist, adding another award collected by the 7-month-old publication. Early Tuesday morning, in conjunction with a separate award won this past winter, journalism teacher and Wingspan instructor Brian Higgins and members of the Wingspan staff left for Columbia University in New York City to attend the annual CSPA convention and awards ceremony. The Wingspan staff learned of its national award just three months after they launched the publication at the start of the academic year.

“It was really emotional for me,” Editor-in-chief Sarah Philips said. “For us, CSPA was such a long-term goal. I think we originally thought that about three  years down the line we’ll go so, as a senior, I would never be able to go. So when we won, I cried because I just could not believe it. After just three months, it was such an honor to have won such an award alongside such established publications.”

Higgins, joining the school faculty this year, had similarly humble expectations for Wingspan to receive any national recognition.

“To think that we started this website and launched it this school year,” Higgins said. “And in less than a couple months we were not only able to get the site up and posting content on a regular basis but to get recognition from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association as one of the thirteen best digital news sites in the country is extraordinary and is something that none of us saw coming.”

However, the trip to New York was not a given since this was the first time an FISD student-led publication received a Crown Award and was offered a spot at the convention.

“I think it says a lot about the district,” Higgins said. “They’re allowing us to travel to New York to attend this conference which will be an incredible life experience for the students.”

A total of nine students will attend the conference including six seniors who have all participated in the Journalism program since freshman year.

“I’m really excited about going to New York after being in RHTV for three years and Wingspan one year,” WTV executive producer Josh Gray. “Because we never really got to do anything this fun before in RHTV despite all the work we put in, and it’s nice to have all that work now pay off.”

For senior Arman Kafai, however, the journey has come a little differently, joining the program this year as a Journalism 1 student and quickly becoming Lead Sports Reporter soon after.

“It’s pretty cool because I wasn’t even in the class to being with,” Kafai said. “I started out in Journalism and, then, I got promoted. I got promoted again. And now I’m here. These guys have become my family. So, overall, it’s been a great experience and it’s great to see that hard work is finally paying off.”

Wingspan as a publication was founded in 2006 by yearbook adviser and previous newspaper teacher Carole Babineaux, who has taught at this school since it opened. The publication took on an online component in recent years but was scrapped and rebuilt into the interface that landed the staff a spot in New York.

“I have felt like a momma whose kid has finally achieved greatness,” Babineaux said. “My background is newspaper to being with and so teaching newspaper to being with was so exciting for me. Then, to see it now coming into where I always knew it would get, it’s just fun, it’s just exciting, and it’s what I’ve wanted for Liberty for so long. And it’s a real sense of pride to see someone take it and make it what it should be.”

Less than one year into the program, Higgins has high hopes for what Wingspan can achieve in upcoming years.

“It was a goal but it was one of those goals that we thought of without realistically thinking it was achievable,” Higgins said. “However, with the great staff that I have this year, in hindsight, I’m not that surprised that we were able to accomplish it. I’m just proud.”