Members of the ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine pose for a photo at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Workshop and Awards at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on March 18. The OMG and iliad were both recognized as Pacemaker winners by the National Scholastic Press Association at the Journalism Education Association/NSPA’s National High School Journalism Convention on April 18, forming a trifecta with the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, which was recognized with the award in November 2025. “I take my hat off to our legendary founding members and to those who have continued to build upon that legacy through the years. I hope the accomplishments will inspire our staff to see where we can keep going,” OMG and iliad adviser David Ragsdale said. Photo by William Lance
The National Scholastic Press Association recognized both the ODYSSEY Media Group website and the iliad Literary-Art Magazine with a Pacemaker Award on April 18.
For the first time in the program’s 25-year history, a National Scholastic Press Association trifecta occurred for the publications of ODYSSEY Media Group during a school year: the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, iliad Literary-Art Magazine and ODYSSEY website each earned a Pacemaker. The latter two earned the recognition on April 18 and the former on Nov. 15, 2025.
The NSPA Pacemaker, which is one of the oldest awards in scholastic journalism, is steeped in tradition. The association began conferring its top award to high school newspapers shortly after the organization was founded in 1921. In subsequent years, yearbooks, magazines, websites, broadcast programs and innovation were added to the competition.
“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” Executive Director Laura Widmer stated in an April 18 press release. “NSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.”
The website and ODYSSEY Newsmagazine have been nominated and awarded the Pacemaker before, with the website being nominated in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2025 and 2026, going on to win in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2025 and 2026. The newsmagazine has been a finalist in 2009, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025, with wins in 2011 and 2025.
“Getting to see ODYSSEY’s website win this award not only once, but twice, in the time that I’ve been in this program is absolutely incredible,” OMG Digital Editor-in-Chief Lea D’Angelo said. “As a staff, we found opportunities for growth from last year and put in the work to overcome those and I think winning this award again is a testament to us having done that.”
2025’s “Sound & Color” is one of six iliad literary-art magazines to be selected as a Pacemaker finalist: 2010’s “Coffee Break”, 2020’s “Flow”, 2021’s “Okeanos”, 2022’s “Astreaus”, 2023’s “Flourish” and 2024’s “Prometheus.” “Coffee Break, “Okeanos,” “Flourish” and “Prometheus” all went on to win the Pacemaker.
“While it is a bit daunting as Editor-in-Chief to have to live up to so many high-achieving magazines, winning our fifth Pacemaker is a huge honor and a great motivation to continue doing our best,” iliad Editor-in-Chief Margo McDaniel, who has served on staff for three years, said.
“While it is a bit daunting as Editor-in-Chief to have to live up to so many high-achieving magazines, winning our fifth Pacemaker is a huge honor and a great motivation to continue doing our best.”
— Margo McDaniel,
iliad Editor-in-Chief
This school year marks 25 years since David Ragsdale refounded the iliad before founding the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine in 2003 and later the original OMG website in 2007 alongside students he views as program legends. The historical significance of the three Pacemakers is not lost upon Ragsdale.
“Being able to celebrate the upcoming 50th issue of the iliad last month, celebrating our second-ever newsmagazine Pacemaker in November and seeing the dynamic work put into our website under the leadership of Ms. D’Angelo gives me pause to realize all that this program has achieved and the opportunities to continue to accomplish,” Ragsdale said. “I take my hat off to our legendary founding members and to those who have continued to build upon that legacy through the years. I hope the accomplishments will inspire our staff to see where we can keep going.”
