The Columbia Scholastic Press Association awarded New Hyde Park Memorial’s yearbook, The Lance, a Gold Medalist, its highest category, for the 2012 yearbook. The CSPA is an affiliate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and provides evaluations for publications on the national level. Each year, the CSPA evaluates yearbooks from across the country on overall content, coverage, reporting, writing, design/graphics, and photography based on more than 100 criteria according to standards representing best practices for student journalism. “Not only is this accolade unprecedented in our school’s history, but it means that our yearbook ranks as one of the best in the nation, as valuated by the most prestigious press association in the country.