NPR received nearly 1,500 student podcasts from 42 states and the District of Columbia for its 2026 Student Podcast Challenge. Some entries respond to a prompt asking what it means to be an American as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. A judging team will review the finalists. Grand prize winners will be announced in the coming weeks.
The contest’s education team listened to entries over the summer. Winning podcasts will air on Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other NPR programs. NPR said thousands of students, teachers, parents and sponsors took part. Winners and honorable mentions in the fourth-grade category will come later.
Identity and inheritance
Students explored family histories, memory, advice passed between generations and grief, along with the special prompt about American identity. High school finalist Ulysses McKittrick’s “La Vida Llena” looks at generational perspective through an interview with an elderly woman he spoke with while writing college essays. “Wouldn't questions about identity and defining experiences be better suited for people who had already lived full, exciting lives?” he asks.
Livie Courser’s middle-school podcast, “Leaving Greece,” tells the story of her grandfather’s move from a small village on Crete to the United States. Courser says he shared stories about Greece as she grew up. “It was very difficult for him and his family, and he had many chores after school,” she says. The podcast features an interview with him about leaving his village.
Other finalists look back on family and personal memories. In “The Sounds of Our Home,” Jacob Zheng recalls family life through FaceTime calls, superhero debates and Minecraft missions. His sister’s move away to college made those nights around the computer mean more. Allen Mondragon’s “The Person I am Becoming” reflects on his father’s legacy. “Death ended his life, but it didn't end his impact,” Mondragon says. His father died four years ago, according to the article.
Schools, technology and civic knowledge
Several finalists examine the institutions and technologies that shape students’ lives. Fifth graders behind “Civics in Our Schools” ask, “What do you really know about our country?” They discuss civics with classmates and teachers, then learn from an expert how to engage people.
Eleanor Deutsch’s “The Device Debate” looks at school technology through interviews with students, parents and administrators. Deutsch, a fifth grader who uses a computer more than ever at school, weighs its benefits and drawbacks, and suggests alternatives such as paper and pencil. High school student Miles Jackman’s “Artificially Intelligent” investigates how artificial intelligence influences students’ work. The article describes the technology as pervasive in school.
The finalists also explored government and public service. Anna Su’s “The Government Exodus: Why Federal Workers Resign” asks why federal employees left their jobs. Hundreds of thousands voluntarily left in 2025, but Su’s mother stayed. Su interviews former federal workers about their decisions. Middle school students behind “I.C.E. Out” investigated why the agency was created, researched its history and interviewed people after I.C.E. activity increased in 2026.
The finalists’ reporting
Other entries address health, work and community. Cora Walsh talks about dyslexia with her mother and tutor, saying, “People with dyslexia can be amazing in so many ways.” Haarrathi Kanna volunteers with a music therapist and asks three neurologists how music affects the brain. She also describes how music can help students with learning differences.
The finalists appeared in alphabetical order within their categories. NPR says it doesn't offer or accept money for coverage or interviews. Anyone making such an offer or request isn't an NPR employee and doesn't represent NPR.