Jetpack's Featured Content

1-functions.php

// Add Theme support and write a function to get the featured posts
// This goes in your themes functions.php file

add_theme_support( 'featured-content', array(
    'filter'     => 'mytheme_get_featured_posts',
    'max_posts'  => 20,
    'post_types' => array( 'post', 'page' ),
) );

function mytheme_get_featured_posts() {
    return apply_filters( 'mytheme_get_featured_posts', array() );
}

function mytheme_has_featured_posts( $minimum = 1 ) {
    if ( is_paged() )
        return false;
 
    $minimum = absint( $minimum );
    $featured_posts = apply_filters( 'mytheme_get_featured_posts', array() );
 
    if ( ! is_array( $featured_posts ) )
        return false;
 
    if ( $minimum > count( $featured_posts ) )
        return false;
 
    return true;
}

2-index.php

// Now lets call the featured posts using a template part
// In this scenario, you are only wanting them to show up on your front page

<?php
    if ( is_front_page() && mytheme_get_featured_posts() ) {
        // Include the featured content template.
        get_template_part( 'content', 'featured' );
    }
?>

3-content-featured.php

<?php
/**
 * The template for displaying featured content
 */
?>

<?php
    /**
     * Let's show some Featured Content
     */
    if( is_front_page() && mytheme_get_featured_posts() ) :
        $featured_posts = mytheme_get_featured_posts();
        $post_count = count($featured_posts);
        ?>
        <div class="featured-posts">
            <?php foreach( $featured_posts as $post ) :
                setup_postdata( $post ); ?>
                <figure class="cap-left">
                    <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="<?php the_title();?>">
                        <figcaption>
                            <?php the_title(); ?>
                        </figcaption>
                    </a>
                </figure>
            <?php endforeach; ?>
        </div> <!-- .featured-posts !-->
    <?php endif; ?>