Carmel High School’s 2008-09 Pinnacle yearbook was named a Silver Medalist with All-Columbian Honors by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) in the organization’s 2009 publications critique.

The evaluation is completed anonymously by faculty publications advisers affiliated with CSPA who consider categories such as concept, coverage, writing, photography and design. The Pinnacle yearbook scored 900 out of 1000 points overall, and earned a perfect score in the writing category. Category scores that ranked in the 95th percentile qualified for All-Columbian Honors in that category.

According to the critique commentary, “Writing for this yearbook is exceptional at the highest level…you are giving your audience a professional level of service that adds meaning and value to your outstanding product.”

This publications evaluation was created at Columbia University (NY) in 1925 as a way to professionally evaluate student-edited publications. The yearbook category was added to the competition in 1935. The CSPA web site describes the purpose of the critique as a method to “offer specific instruction on how to improve student work.”

Editors of the 2008-09 Pinnacle were Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Woeste (Ohio State University) and Jennifer Cannady (Purdue University). The publication was advised by Nicole Wilson.

The 2008-09 Pinnacle is also entered in the CSPA Crown Awards competition. Winners will be announced in February. The 2007-08 Pinnacle yearbook was a Gold Crown Award winner, and was advised by Lisa Morris.