Here are the honorable mentions from the 2023 Student Podcast Challenge. Listen to our middle school grand prize winners here; high school grand prize winner here; and the best mental health podcast prize winner here.
Congrats everyone! Hope to hear from you again in 2024!
Middle School
#LookontheBrightside – North Rock Creek Public School, Shawnee, Okla.
13 Going On COVID-19 – Herricks Middle School, Albertson, N.Y.
A Fortnight In Fortnite – Herricks Middle School, Albertson, N.Y.
A Surprising History Of School Lunches – Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Pasadena, Calif.
A Taste Of Waste – The Clinton School, New York, N.Y.
Abi & Angelica's Podcast – Irvington Middle School, Irvington, N.Y.
American Revolution What-Ifs – Bayside Middle School, Milwaukee, Wis.
Back In Your Day – Edmunds Middle School, Burlington, Vt.
Bye Bye Chameleon – Princeton Middle School, Princeton, N.J.
Chicago Cubs players who need improvement – Kendall Elementary School, Naperville, Ill.
Chicken Finger – Lynbrook South Middle School, New York, N.Y.
Classical Music: Stereotypes and Solutions – DeWitt Middle School, Ithaca, N.Y.
Cringe Culture is Cringe – The Awty International School, Houston, Texas
Dress Coded – The Learning Community School, Swannanoa, N.C.
Dress Codes – Lincoln School, Providence, R.I.
Expectations – Essex Middle School, Essex Junction, Vt.
Exploring Taiwan with your palate – Pierrepont School, Westport, Conn.
Family Style – Herricks Middle School, Albertson, N.Y.
Flowing Through Time: The Past, Present, And Future Of Water – Peak Academy, Bozeman, Mont.
Final Podcast – The Nueva School, Hillsborough, Calif.
Fires: Set Ablaze – Chautauqua Elementary School, Vashon, Wash.
Food Story: Instant Ramen – San Francisco Day School, San Francisco, Calif.
Funding Colorado Schools – Park Elementary, Durango, Colo.
Gender Equality in Women's Hockey – Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, Conn.
Girls Gone Mental – Ardmore High School, Ardmore, Ala.
Graffiti And Mural Art – The Learning Community School, Swannanoa, N.C.
GT Fire Final – Georgetown School, Georgetown, Calif.
Turbans Are Not Terrorists – Princeton Day School, Princeton, N.J.
Hijab Pride, Hijab Hide – Herricks Middle School, Albertson, N.Y.
How Does Social Media Impact Teens? – Ames Middle School, Ames, Iowa
I am American – Pierrepont School, Westport, Conn.
Ice Cream Madness – Lake Tahoe School, Incline Village, Nev.
Journey to Enlightenment – Burnsville School, Burnsville, Miss.
Kids On Covid – The Learning Community School, Swannanoa, N.C.
Kyle's Grandma's Story of the Korean War – John Sinnott Elementary School, Milpitas, Calif.
LGBTQIAndCommunity – The Learning Community School, Swannanoa, N.C.
Living a Full Life – Zeeland Christian School, Zeeland, Mich.
Loser Podcast – Iron Horse Middle School, San Ramon, Calif.
Managing Mental Health Student Podcast – Woodford County Middle School, Versailles, Ky.
Mental Health Podcast – Mannion Middle School, Henderson, Nev.
More Lunchtime! – Victor Intermediate School, Victor, N.Y.
Mother Tongue – Pierrepont School, Westport, Conn.
My Beautiful Stutter – Winston Preparatory School, New York, N.Y.
My Grandpa Vs. The 1956 Revolution – Olympic Hills Elementary, Seattle, Wash.
My Grandfathers' Story – Lynbrook South Middle School, New York, N.Y.
My Story – Burnsville School, Burnsville, Miss.
NEMJDS Turandot NPR Contest – NEMJDS, Birmingham, Ala.
NPR Podcast Competition 2023 – Tessellations School, Cupertino, Calif.
NPR Student Podcast – High Point Academy, Pasadena, Calif.
Pantsed – Larchmont Charter Selma Campus, Los Angeles, Calif.
Passing Time In Between Classes – Mount Olive Middle School, Budd Lake, N.J.
Pickles vs Corn – Acton Academy of Bergen County, Closter, N.J.
Podcastjulietacamarynhailey – Clearwater Fundamental Middle School, Clearwater, Fla.
Popularity – Swift Creek Middle School, Midlothian, Va.
Pteranodon vs. Fighter Jet – Clearwater Fundamental Middle School, Clearwater, Fla.
Read Banned Books – The Learning Community School, Swannanoa, N.C.
Refugee Podcast – University School Of Nashville, Nashville, Tenn.
Reviews Are For Readers – Seattle Country Day School, Seattle, Wash.
School Leisure Time – Mount Olive Middle School, Budd Lake, N.J.
School vs Home – Mickelson Middle School, Brookings, S.D.
Shiba Podcast – Lake Tahoe School, Incline Village, Nev.
Should there be two teachers in a classroom? – Weddington High School, Matthews, N.C.
SMS Podcast: How Do Car Engines Work? – St. Michael's School, Poway, Calif.
Talk with us – Saint Pius V Catholic School, Buena Park, Calif.
Teachers Need a Salary Increase – John F. Kennedy Middle School, Cupertino, Calif.
Teenage Daydream – Burnsville School, Burnsville, Miss.
The Black Plague – Swift Creek Middle School, Midlothian, Va.
The Corner We Come From – Burnsville School, Burnsville, Miss.
The Dark Side Of Gymnastics – The Clinton School, New York, N.Y.
The Grinders of 6th Grade Bip – Charles N Holden Elementary School, Chicago, Ill.
The Impact of Damar Hamlin – Herricks Middle School, Albertson, N.Y.
The Willow Project – Essex Middle School, Essex Junction, Vt.
The Questionnaire – Acton Academy of Bergen County, Closter, N.J.
Think About It! Homework – Swift Creek Middle School, Midlothian, Va.
This is Your Brain on Self-Paced learning – Noe Middle School, Louisville, Ky.
Tragedy Podcast – Enumclaw Middle School, Enumclaw, Wash.
Tree Octopus – Ames Middle School, Ames, Iowa
Turning On Our Mics – Alabama Virtual Academy, Eufaula, Ala.
Under the Rainbow – Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Pasadena, Calif.
Unearthing Sexism – ATLAS Middle School, New Haven, Conn.
Unfair School Expectations – Gold Trail School, Placerville, Calif.
Viridian – Twelve Corners Middle School, Rochester, N.Y.
What About Plants? – Brookwood Elementary School, Dalton, Ga.
What Does It Mean To Be Healthy – The Learning Community School, Swannanoa, N.C.
We (Heart) Our New New Yorkers – PS 163 Alfred E. Smith School, New York, N.Y.
What IS Justice? – King Phillip Middle School, Hartford, Conn.
What is leadership? – Evergreen School, Shoreline, Wash.
What Makes A Great Friend – Pine Bush Elementary School, Schenectady, N.Y.
Why Culvers is the best – Pecatonica Area School District, Blanchardville, Wis.
Why Middle Schoolers Act The Way They Act – Ross Middle School, Hamilton, Ohio
High School
A Journeyman's Journey – Bard High School Early College, New York, N.Y.
A Missing Piece – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
All About Teenage Love – Kauai High School, Lihue, Hawaii
An Interview with June Carryl – Bresee Youth Foundation, Los Angeles, Calif.
Are You Listening? – The Bush School, Seattle, Wash.
Are You Smarter Than A Middle Schooler? – Morgan County High School, West Liberty, Ky.
A Tiny Museum with a Huge Impact – The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Columbus, Miss.
B4 English Podcast - Forgotten History – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Basi Festival ZMF – Sitka School District, Sitka, Alaska
Been Brown, Done That – The Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Being Comfortable with the Uncomfortable – Kauai High School, Lihue, Hawaii
Belonging Beyond Borders – York Community High School, Elmhurst, Ill.
Black Hair Why Its None Of Your Business – Robert G Cole High School, San Antonio, Texas
Body Image, Bear Pod – Berkley High School, Berkeley, Mich.
Bound for Glory – Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Full Day, Hartford. Conn.
Challenges of Sibling Relationships – Newton South High School, Newton Centre, Mass.
Changing Shells – The Dalton Academy, Dalton, Ga.
Charlotte Country Day Motivational Men – Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte, N.C.
Cleveland Consolidation Revisited – Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Columbus, Miss.
Daring Or Caring – The Portrayals Of Femininity In Young Adult Literature – Jericho High School, Jericho, N.Y.
Dear Future Me – Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dear Yahir – Lexington High School, Lexington, Neb.
Devastation of Gentrification – Hoover High School, San Diego, Calif.
Did You Know? Weird Facts About Our Founding Fathers – Effingham College and Career Academy, Rincon, Ga.
Discomfort Food – Mercer Island High School, Mercer Island, Wash.
Discussion on Child Abuse – Fellowship Baptist Academy, Carson City, Mo.
E Malmborg – Weber High School, Ogden, Utah
Empty Cup – Dalton Junior High School, Dalton, Ga.
Endangered Sounds Podcast – Southern High School, Harwood, Md.
English Podcast – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Experience of Education – Pompano Beach High School, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Facade Of Ivy Leagues – West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, Plainsboro, N.J.
Facing My Truth: How Anti-Asian Rhetoric is Embedded in the American Upbringing – The Nightingale Bamford School, New York, N.Y.
Fantasy Crime – A Parody of True Crime Podcasts – Kamiakin High School, Kennewick, Wash.
Finished Podcast – Homewood High School, Homewood, Ala.
Food and Culture Podcast – The Hewitt School, New York, N.Y.
For Preston – Marblehead High School, Marblehead, Mass.
Generation Differences In Dating – Marblehead High School, Marblehead, Mass.
Hattiesburg's Sewer Woes – The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Columbus, Miss.
HER: The Podcast – Upper Merion High School, King of Prussia, Pa.
High School POV on School Shootings – Desert Garden Montessori, Phoenix, Ariz.
High School Social Hierarchy – Robert G Cole High School, San Antonio, Texas
How to Survive High School – Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Ind.
I Plant – Weber High School, Ogden, Utah
Jackson Heights: Threats of Gentrification Interwoven into a Bustling Neighborhood – Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Scarsdale, N.Y.
Japan Festival Boston Podcast – Milton Academy, Milton, Mass.
Just Some Trash Talk? – Buffalo Grove High School, Buffalo Grove, Ill.
Laughing Through The Struggle – Milton Academy, Milton, Mass.
Laurel Legacy – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Leaders and Tough Questions – Mississippi School for Math and Science, Columbus, Miss.
Leo: NPR Podcast Contest 2023 – LEAF Charter School, Alstead, N.H.
Life Inside The Green Band Tents – Wenatchee High School, Wenatchee, Wash.
Lost In Expectations: The Struggles Of Indian Youth – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Luciana Masoni Podcast – The Baldwin School of Puerto Rico, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Ly Podcast – AmTech Career Academy, Amarillo, Texas
Male High School Athletes Don't Cry – Central Union High School, El Centro, Calif.
ManyaPodcastOnFaithAndFunbotics – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Va.
Mass Exodus – Newton South High School, Newton Centre, Mass.
Multiplied by a Million – The Walker School, North Marietta, Ga.
Murder: After Dark – Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Ind.
My America – Tennessee High School, Bristol, Tenn.
My Ao Dai – St. Francis High School, Mountain View, Calif.
Navigating Female Friendships – Montrose School, Medfield, Mass.
Not Gun Control – PrepNet Virtual Academy, Grand Rapids, Mich.
NPR Podcast Project – Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Scarsdale, N.Y.
Nuclear Proliferation – NYC iSchool, New York, N.Y.
Obsessive – Rampart High School, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Opening Up is Manning Up – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Va.
Parental Penalties – New Hampton School, New Hampton, N.H.
Peculiar Past Podcast – Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Perception In Color – Newton South High School, Newton Centre, Mass.
Police Brutality – Trumbull Career & Technical Center, Warren, Ohio
Pregnancy at a Young Age – J Sterling Morton East High School, Cicero, Ill.
Reaching Out To An Outreach – Achievement First University Prep High School, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Redefining the Boundaries of the Human Body – The Potomac School, McLean, Va.
Save The Drama For Your Llama – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Secrets In The Sky – Ben Lacher's Story – Alliance High School, Alliance, Ohio
Skunktastic Tale – Marblehead High School, Marblehead, Mass.
Stuck Behind Bars: The Injustice of the Dysfunctional Bail System – Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Scarsdale, N.Y.
Sports Podcast Final – Carmel High School, Carmel, Calif.
SUPERwomens Podcast – Homewood High School, Homewood, Ala.
Table Talk – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Tainted Land – Perry High School, Massillon, Ohio
Talk the Talk – The Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Teenager's Take On Taxes – Kauai High School, Lihue, Hawaii
Teen Evolution – Capital High School, Helena, Mont.
Testosterone, Estrogen and American Legislation – Carmel High School, Carmel, Calif.
The Battle for Educational Access: The Impact of YouTube Restrictions on High School Learning – Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta, Calif.
The Darker Side of Volunteering – Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego, Calif.
The Drama of Drama – Carmel High School, Carmel, Calif.
The Feminist History of Barbie – Greater Hartford Academy of the Art, Hartford, Conn.
The Guest User – Stanford Online High School, Redwood City, Calif.
The Heralds of Life, Love, and Creation – Shaler Area High School, Pittsburgh, Penn.
The Last of You – J Sterling Morton West High School, Berwyn, Ill.
The Locket – Louisville Collegiate School, Louisville, Ky.
The Magic of Putting Myself First – Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis – Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Collins, Colo.
The Negative Effects of Social Media on Teens – Marblehead High School, Marblehead, Mass.
The Perfect Romance Novel – Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, N.M.
The Problem With The American School System – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
The Second Shift – West Covina High School, West Covina, Calif.
The Senior Song Debate: Navigating School Spirit and Social Responsibility – Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta, Calif.
The State Line Mob – The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Columbus, Miss.
The Will of the Unconscious Mind – Sheyenne High School, West Fargo, N.D.
Things that Don't Make Sense – Fontbonne Hall Academy, Brooklyn, N.Y.
TikTok is a Problem – Robert G Cole High School, San Antonio, Texas
Toxic Masculinity! – Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Unsung Lyrics – Carmel High School, Carmel, Calif.
VIDEO – 2023-04-25-01-51-49 – Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Scarsdale, N.Y.
Violet Migration Podcast – Open World Learning, Saint Paul, Minn.
VK Baller Podcast: Specialist vs. Swiss Army Knife – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Washed Away – Morgan County High School, West Liberty, Ky.
We Need Rap – Oyler Community Learning Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
What Even Is Confidence? – The Bush School, Seattle, Wash.
What is a woman? – Kauai High School, Lihue, Hawaii
What Is Home? – The Bush School, Seattle, Wash.
What Makes a Suburb a Good Place to Live? – The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Columbus, Miss.
What We Are and What We Were – Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
When We See Ourselves – Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, Ill.
Why Are You So Distracted? – Herbert Hoover High School, San Diego, Calif.
Why Is Dance So Important To Me? – The Bush School, Seattle, Wash.
Wintle And Chippa – Weber High School, Ogden, Utah
Woolly Mammoth Meatballs – Northgate High School, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Xavier Podcast – AmTech Career Academy, Amarillo, Texas
Yin Yang – Yerba Buena High School, San Jose, Calif.
Your Mom Added Me On Snapchat – The Morris County School of Technology, Denville, N.J.
Zoe's Podcast – Tennessee High School, Bristol, Tenn.
Thanks again to students, teachers and mentors for being a part of our annual contest! Please share your experience, send us photos and give us feedback at studentpodcastchcallenge@npr.org.
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