2026 student podcast challenge: honorable mentions revealed

The 2026 NPR Student Podcast Challenge once again showcased curious minds and confident storytellers. Below are the honorable mentions from middle and high school entrants. These short audio projects range from personal essays to investigative features and reflect diverse interests across the U.S.

Middle school podcast honorable mentions — 2026 student podcast challenge

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• A Step Ahead

  • Creators: Alfred Cash Anderson, Amber Jan, Anna de Koning, Daphne Dalton.
  • Creators: Fuller Phillipy, Harmony Guzman, Jax Freitag, Kalia Nabours.
  • Creators: Kirra Drude, Lottie Wickham, Oliver Tait, Ryan Wilson.
  • Creators: Lucy Luria, Wyatt Thompson, Olivia Chilingirian, Noah Cowell, Trey Adamson.
  • Advisor: Andrew Luria; Thrive School — Encinitas, Calif.

• AI vs. Polar Bears

  • Creators: Oscar Zheng and Karter Wu.
  • Advisor: James De Lange; Mesa Robles Middle School — Hacienda Heights, Calif.

• Ants, Ants, and More Ants

  • Creators: Nicole Piasecki, Sloane Rogers and Meghan Wang.
  • Advisor: Kristie Guevremont; The Foote School — New Haven, Conn.

• Autism Explained

  • Creator: Luke DQ.
  • Advisor: Kristie Guevremont; The Foote School — New Haven, Conn.

• Children’s Online Lives

  • Creators: Amelia R. Ramcharan and Sharini Somalinga.
  • Advisor: Elizabeth Kennedy; Riverwatch Middle School — Suwanee, Ga.

• City Hope San Francisco

  • Creator: Samuel Schwartz.
  • Advisor: Sarah Costello; San Francisco Day School — San Francisco, Calif.

• First Time’s the Charm: Teacher’s Confessions

  • Creator: Jeanne Kim.
  • Advisor: Melissa Henry; Dallas International School — Dallas, Texas.

• From Dorm Room to Dream: VC Explained

  • Creator: Nina Mattamana.
  • Advisor: Anastasia Sullo; Kingswood Oxford School — West Hartford, Conn.

• Grow: Johnson County

  • Creator: Adelaide Kurth.
  • Advisor: Morgan Jeffery; Excelsior Middle School — Marion, Iowa.

• Homework Stress

  • Creators: Sylpa Jan Kafle, Emmerson Quinn and Dara Widzowski.
  • Advisor: Jaime Harrington; Hewlett Elementary School — Hewlett, N.Y.

• How Is My Life Like In US

  • Creator: Yicheng Sun.
  • Advisor: Andrew Barker; Rectory School — Pomfret, Conn.

• Is It Worth the Hype?

  • Creators: Jocelyn Luea and Evie Wolf.
  • Advisor: Karen Bonness; Highlands Elementary School — Mission, Kan.

• Judge Ellie

  • Creator: Ellie Exner.
  • Advisor: Catherine Rinko-Gay; Barrington Elementary School — Columbus, Ohio.

• Just Why? — Homework

  • Creator: Derin Dogru.
  • Advisor: Megan Tillotson; Thayer J. Hill Middle School — Naperville, Ill.

• Life of a Soldier

  • Creators: Della Axelband, Peyton Johnson, Lily Epstein and Lilly Murillo.
  • Advisor: Sireesha Rutter; Jupiter Middle School — Jupiter, Fla.

• Malala Youzafei: The Impact of Her Life Upon her Loved Ones

  • Creator: Tunjeena Khan.
  • Advisor: Jenna Conner-Harris; Lake Ridge Middle School — Woodbridge, Va.

• Mary’s Dictionary

  • Creators: Elliott Mannis-Young, Caitlyn Prather, Ben Loo and Kanalu Asam.
  • Advisor: Vanessa Manuel-Mazzullo; Punahou School — Honolulu, Hawaii.

• Maxwell’s History of Video Games

  • Creator: Maxwell Gibbs.
  • Advisor: Jaime Harrington; Hewlett Elementary School — Hewlett, N.Y.

• Middle Child Mayhem

  • Creators: Harry Sheridan and Scarlett LaFemina.
  • Advisor: Amy Smith-Faczan; Victor Intermediate School — Victor, N.Y.

• Modern Dental Advertising

  • Creator: Athena Rader.
  • Advisor: Morgan Jeffery; Excelsior Middle School — Marion, Iowa.

• More Than A Photograph

  • Creator: Josie Sloan-Westmoreland.
  • Advisor: David Bird; The Learning Community School — Swannanoa, N.C.

• Moving From Country to Country

  • Creators: Ida Buerckert, Daniella Cubas, Ayano Enishi and Anastaiia Koshyk.
  • Advisor: Alysson Olsen; Irving A. Robbins Middle School — Farmington, Conn.

• My Wrestling World

  • Creator: Emma Enquist.
  • Advisor: Gina Luber; Rocky Heights Middle School — Lone Tree, Colo.

• Peas on Earth

  • Creators: Ninette Khanna, Sophia Lacagnato, Julianna Marshall, Madison Marsillio.
  • Advisor: Lisa Scalici; Marlboro Middle School — Marlboro, N.J.

• Perfectly Placed

  • Creator: Kate Vogel.
  • Advisor: Laura Frisbie; Minnetonka Middle School West — Excelsior, Minn.

• Roots to Routes

  • Creator: Aphrodite Flevaris.
  • Advisor: Jennifer Kahlenberg; Sunset Ridge School — Northfield, Ill.

• Screen Zombies

  • Creators: Fletcher Sams, Brody Lahr and Charles Johnson.
  • Advisor: Morgan Jeffery; Excelsior Middle School — Marion, Iowa.

• Sheridan Scares

  • Creators: Olivia Robinson and Wells Monash.
  • Advisor: Kelsey Gamza; Sheridan School — Washington, D.C.

• Soccer Starters

  • Creators: Francesca DiGeronimo, Sophia Orozco and Bianca Sobolewski.
  • Advisor: Tara Meara; Marlboro Middle School — Marlboro, N.J.

• Spooky Scary Stories

  • Creators: Maura Treuhaft, Sofia Jaramillo and Anaika John.
  • Advisor: Jennifer Hall; Keystone School — San Antonio, Texas.

• Teddy Roosevelt and His Pets

  • Creators: Abbott Mearns and Keaton Rainwater.
  • Advisor: Colindra Connolly; College Place Middle School — Lynnwood, Wash.

• The Battle of Monmouth: A Twist on History

  • Creators: Leonardo Zinna, Kaiden Belanger and Oliver Batista.
  • Advisor: Tara Meara; Marlboro Middle School — Marlboro, N.J.

• The Cost of a Click

  • Creators: Mallorie Branch, Lily Hall, Olivia Powell and Ella Yancey.
  • Advisor: Tonie Weddle; Mount Washington Middle School — Mount Washington, Ky.

• The Largest Elk Herd in the World is in Colorado!

  • Creators: Piper Christofferson, Stella Reyes, Estelle Austin and Brooklynn Burney.
  • Advisor: Karen Penry; Cloverleaf Enrichment School — Castle Rock, Colo.

• The Lightbulb

  • Creators: Julia McEvoy and Cate Thompson.
  • Advisor: Jennifer Hall; Keystone School — San Antonio, Texas.

• The Reintroduction of Wolves in Colorado

  • Creators: Levi Baldwin and Jesse Unger.
  • Advisor: Karen Penry; Cloverleaf Enrichment School — Castle Rock, Colo.

• The Unfair Playbook

  • Creator: Hanna Dold.
  • Advisor: Jennifer Kahlenberg; Sunset Ridge School — Northfield, Ill.

• The Unscripted Diagnosis

  • Creators: Charley Rasmussen and Beckett Eiffert.
  • Advisor: Morgan Jeffery; Excelsior Middle School — Marion, Iowa.

• What the Sigma? Decoding Digital Slang

  • Creators: Oscar Zheng and Karter Wu.
  • Advisor: James De Lange; Mesa Robles Middle School — Hacienda Heights, Calif.

• Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

  • Creator: Valentina Lopez-Cuculich.
  • Advisor: Catherine Rinko-Gay; Barrington Elementary School — Upper Arlington, Ohio.

High school podcast honorable mentions — 2026 student podcast challenge

• A Hunt for Importance

  • Creator: Wyatt Duke.
  • Advisor: Stephanie Brush; Texas High School — Texarkana, Texas.

• A Taste of His World

  • Creator: Dounia Peters-Abbadi.
  • Advisor: Jennifer Billings; Marblehead High School — Marblehead, Mass.

• Before You Drop a Track

  • Creator: Lukas Boulom.
  • Advisor: Su Hudson; Public Academy for Performing Arts — Albuquerque, N.M.

• Big Brother is Always Watching: Internet Influence on Politics

  • Creator: Ayushi Wadhwa.
  • Advisor: Allison Stitham; Kent Place School — Summit, N.J.

• Blackpillmaxxing

  • Creator: Percy Gray.
  • Advisor: Kyle Wannen; Montgomery Blair High School — Silver Spring, Md.

• Born After the Storm: Mai

  • Creator: Mai Smith.
  • Advisor: Joanna Farley; Be Loud Studios — New Orleans, La.

• Chronic Homework

  • Creator: Owen Weiss.
  • Advisor: Debra Klevens; Clayton High School — Clayton, Mo.

• Combating Holocaust Denial with Creativity

  • Creator: Eva Spiegelman.
  • Advisor: Matthew Vogt; Roslyn High School — Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

• Dear Mother

  • Creator: Roxanne DeGrie.
  • Advisor: Paula Wolak; Renaissance High School — Franklin, Tenn.

• “Deferred Acceptance”: An Algorithm You Won’t Defer

  • Creator: Eric Shao.
  • Advisor: Natalie Woods; Mercer Island High School — Mercer Island, Wash.

• Dollar Disparities: Is “Adequate” School Funding Good Enough?

  • Creators: Christopher Lin and Zadie Kruglov.
  • Advisor: Molly Earle; Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School — Scarsdale, N.Y.

• Everything Given Forward

  • Creator: Lara Leon.
  • Advisor: Tom Chang; Mountain View High School — Mountain View, Calif.

• Fanfiction in the Classroom

  • Creators: Sana Reynolds, Jenna Westaby and Ash Spiegel.
  • Advisor: Katie Meyers; Kirkwood High School — Kirkwood, Mo.

• Focusing through Music

  • Creator: Reid Heavner.
  • Advisor: Hollis Fennen; Santa Rosa High School — Santa Rosa, Calif.

• Foes to Friends: Rethinking Male Friendship

  • Creators: Aidan Robinson, Omri Dotan and Cesar Verdie.
  • Advisor: Jamie Rinaldi; Newton South High School — Newton, Mass.

• Habol — Episode 1: Tag, You’re It

  • Creator: Angela Querubin.
  • Advisor: Jonathon Medeiros; Kaua’i High School — Lihue, Hawaii.

• Hope in Motion

  • Creator: Najia Kohzad.
  • Advisor: Laszlo Bardos; Emma Willard School — Troy, N.Y.

• Improving Access to Higher Education

  • Creators: Abby Reid, Aryanna Balancier, Malonia Jackson, Denese Chisholm.
  • Advisor: Phillip Day; East Hartford High School — East Hartford, Conn.

• Legacies

  • Creator: Isabella Cisneros.
  • Advisor: Su Hudson; Public Academy for Performing Arts — Albuquerque, N.M.

• Lost in Transit, Found in Stories

  • Creators: Jacob Vadakkan, Joya Ishak, Nina Cantos, Ellice Lim, Bianca Tarazhi.
  • Advisor: Molly Earle; Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School — Scarsdale, N.Y.

• Mastering Time Management

  • Creator: Connor Riley.
  • Advisor: Debra Klevens; Clayton High School — Clayton, Mo.

• Misuse of Slang Among Teenagers

  • Creators: Jane Kasselman and Leslie Zheng.
  • Advisor: Laura Stewart; The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science — Columbus, Miss.

• Owning Backyard Chickens — Benefits

  • Creators: Samantha Diamond and Carson Williams.
  • Advisor: Laura Stewart; The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science — Columbus, Miss.

• Pave the Parklet? Public Space Debate

  • Creators: Emily Zhu and Mia Silberstein.
  • Advisor: Jamie Rinaldi; Newton South High School — Newton, Mass.

• Picketts Charge

  • Creator: Zoe Snyder.
  • Advisor: Terrance Shepler; Susquenita High School — Duncannon, Pa.

• Pretending to Party: Acting Out to Fit In

  • Creators: Naomi Allison and Liam Kranenburg.
  • Advisor: Jamie Rinaldi; Newton South High School — Newton, Mass.

• Recidivism

  • Creator: Shay Poindexter.
  • Advisor: Kara Wicks; Texas High School — Texarkana, Texas.

• Setting The Record Straight

  • Creators: Ray Bonney, Ike Nachman and Em Scheckner.
  • Advisor: Kyle Wannen; Montgomery Blair High School — Silver Spring, Md.

• Shades of Green

  • Creator: Drew Garfinkel.
  • Advisor: Debra Klevens; Clayton High School — Clayton, Mo.

• Something to Hold Onto

  • Creator: Amrita Kumar.
  • Advisor: Kymberly Acuña; Bergen County Academies — Hackensack, N.J.

• SUPER BIG SISTER

  • Creator: Arianna Corona.
  • Advisor: Rachel Reyes; West Hempstead Secondary School — West Hempstead, N.Y.

• The Art of Wingmaning: The Dating Shift

  • Creators: Noelle Elizabeth Howell, Ornelle Nguedjieu, Payton Ariella Newsome.
  • Advisor: Kyle Wannen; Montgomery Blair High School — Silver Spring, Md.

• The Dinosaurs Will Disappear

  • Creator: Lola Melian Lafinur.
  • Advisor: Lauren Schechter; Mercer Island High School — Mercer Island, Wash.

• The Flutter of Forbidden Pages

  • Creator: Cristel Cabral.
  • Advisor: Joel Ruvalcaba; J. Sterling Morton High School East — Cicero, Ill.

• The Harm to Communities from Aggressive Immigration Enforcement

  • Creator: Irene Doyle.
  • Advisor: Laura Stewart; The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science — Columbus, Miss.

• The Sound of Both: Finding Identity in Ethiopian Jazz

  • Creator: Gabe Norton.
  • Advisor: Jamie Rinaldi; Newton South High School — Newton, Mass.

• The Things We Forget

  • Creator: Ariah Orsi.
  • Advisor: Alicia Borcich Abuliak; Fort Bragg High School — Fort Bragg, Calif.

• To My Mother, After Alcohol

  • Creator: Allison Wang.
  • Advisor: Arielle Chang; Crean Lutheran High School — Irvine, Calif.

• Unwrapped

  • Creator: Avinash Prasad.
  • Advisor: Megan McCann; El Segundo High School — El Segundo, Calif.

• What We Win When We Lose

  • Creators: Nate Sanwald, Ryan Sanwald and Jackson Rohrer.
  • Advisor: Devon Treharne; Shelter Island High School — Shelter Island, N.Y.

• Where Have the Fireflies Gone?

  • Creator: Angelina Tan.
  • Advisor: Laura Stewart; The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science — Columbus, Miss.

• Whose Hawaii Is It?

  • Creators: Elijah Sorge, Neveah Smith, Krystelle Jamhil Tacata, Kalea Planas, Caleb Taba.
  • Advisor: Jonathon Medeiros; Kauai High School — Lihue, Hawaii.