Announcing the 2023 Student Podcast Challenge Honorable Mentions

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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