LAFAYETTE — A few months ago, the student newspaper at Acalanes High School was on the brink of falling victim to budget cuts.

Spared that fate thanks to the passage of Measure A, the Acalanes Blueprint has now been named the nation's top newspaper by the American Scholastic Press Association.

The Blueprint competed against 59 other student newspapers nationwide for the "Most Outstanding High School Newspaper" award, earning a special merit rating for its score of 955 out of a possible 1,000.

"I was really proud because we put a lot of hard work into it and it's nice to see that we're recognized for how much we do," said junior Emily Ellsworth.

As next year's Blueprint editor-in-chief, Ellsworth's job will be to make sure the paper continues to maintain the same high standard that earned them the award this year.

"Hopefully we can continue to be one of the top newspapers in the country," she said.

The Blueprint also won the "Most Outstanding" award in 1999.

The newspaper would have been among the many programs cut had the Acalanes Union High School District's parcel tax, Measure A, not passed earlier this month, said Superintendent John Stockton.

"Obviously being named the most outstanding student newspaper in the nation is a major achievement for the Blueprint," he said. "We're glad to see that they are able to continue."

The newspaper also received the "Overall Excellence" award during the

Contact Jonathan Morales at 925-943-8048. Read the Lamorinda Sun blog at www.ibabuzz.com/lamorindasun.