What do Americans really know about their country? What do we mean when we think of "home"? When a father dies, what lessons does he leave for his son? And, was Andy Warhol a woman named Patricia?
These topics – from fifth graders in Hewlett, N.Y., a high school student in Ann Arbor, Mich., an 11th grader in Cicero, Ill., and a middle schooler in Brooklyn – make up just a few of the many questions that students around the country turned into audio stories and sent us this year. Their answers to those questions are among our 2026 honorees as the best student podcasts in America.
In its eighth year, the NPR Student Podcast Challenge received nearly 1,500 podcasts from students in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Our education team spent the summer listening to each of them, and from all those entries we've chosen the very best.
So here are this year's finalists in our two main categories – grades five through eight and grades nine through 12. We'll send these finalists to our team of judges, and in the coming weeks we'll announce our grand prize winners. Those podcasts will air on Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other NPR programs.
Among the big themes this year was our special challenge to students: In this year marking the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, explore what it means to be an American.
We also heard a lot about technology in school – AI, cell phone bans, and concerns about screen time. Another big theme was memory. Why do some memories stick and others don't? How do you process the loss of memory? And can you keep a memory alive?
And, a consistent thread over the years, many students were interested in learning from their elders – everything from family histories to intergenerational advice and tough conversations about grief.
Thanks again to the thousands of students, and their teachers, parents and sponsors, who participated, and congratulations to our finalists and honorable mentions!
Here are the middle and high school finalists of the 2026 NPR Student Podcast Challenge, listed in alphabetical order. You can find the list of honorable mentions here.
Winners and honorable mentions in the fourth grade category will be announced at a later date.
Middle School Finalists
Andy Warhol Was a Woman Named Patricia
Student: Ike Anolik
Teacher/Sponsor: David Khoury, Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn, N.Y.
NPR Member Stations: WNYC, WFUV, WBGO and WNYE
What started as a walk in the park led Ike to make an unexpected friend: Andy Warhol. Sort of. In his podcast, Ike interviews writer Pat Hackett about her time working for the famous artist.
Civics in Our Schools
Students: Izabella Anthony, Benjamin Baigel, Bridget Castellon, Rile DeLeon, Maxwell Gibbs, Daniel Hernandez, Malcolm Johnson, Sylpa Kafle, Mason King, Kyle Li, Maximus Lin, Emmerson Quinn, Ariella Schoenfeld, Owenize Udevbulu and Dara Widzowski
Teacher/Sponsor: Jaime Harrington, Hewlett Elementary School in Hewlett, N.Y.
NPR Member Stations: WNYC, WFUV, WBGO, WNYE and WSHU
For America's 250th birthday, this group of fifth graders asked each other: "What do you really know about our country?" In their podcast, they talk to their classmates and teachers about the importance of civics, and learn from an expert how they can help get people engaged.
Dear Kate
Student: Kate Baker
Teacher/Sponsor: Morgan Jeffery, Excelsior Middle School in Marion, Iowa
NPR Member Stations: IPR and WVIK
"Words couldn't even describe how much he meant to me." Middle schooler Kate grew up writing letters to her grandpa in between visits when they played games and he'd tell her stories of his life. In her podcast, she pays homage to her Grandpa Ted, and seeks to understand the disease – dementia – that took him from her.
Dyslexia and MEE
Student: Cora Walsh
Teacher/Sponsor: Emily Johnson, South Side Middle School in Rockville Centre, N.Y.
NPR Member Stations: WNYC, WFUV, WBGO, WNYE and WSHU
"People with dyslexia can be amazing in so many ways." Cora has always had a hard time reading, but she says her dyslexia isn't all bad. She talks to her mom and her tutor to learn more about her diagnosis and explores what it's like to be an adult with dyslexia.
I.C.E. Out
Student: Anthony Perez
Teacher/Sponsor: Linda Ov, High Tech Middle Media Arts in San Diego, Calif.
NPR Member Station: KPBS
Increased I.C.E. activity in 2026 got middle schoolers from California wondering why the agency was created. They research its history and conduct interviews to learn more.
Leaving Greece
Student: Livie Courser
Teacher/Sponsor: Shelly Hughes, Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School in Upper Arlington, Ohio
NPR Member Stations: WOSU and WCBE
Middle Schooler Livie grew up hearing stories of Greece from her grandpa, who emigrated to the United States. "It was very difficult for him and his family, and he had many chores after school." In her podcast, Livie interviews her grandpa about what it was like to leave his small village on Crete for America.
More Than Just a Differability
Student: Lucas DeVries
Teacher/Sponsor: Laura Frisbie, Minnetonka Middle School West in Chanhassen, Minn.
NPR Member Station: MPR
"People often think they understand Down syndrome, but a lot of times, they really don't." Lucas' brother Jacob has Down syndrome, and he wants people to know that it's about so much more than a diagnosis – it's a differability.
Ms. Sessa-Fuul Circle
Students: Selah Walkup, Emily Jane Gravitt, Millie Lorence, Addison Jones and Izabella Zapeda
Teacher/Sponsor: Greg Walkup, Otwell Middle School in Cumming, Ga.
NPR Member Stations: WABE, GPB and WCLK
Why do some teachers feel like they belong in the classroom? These five middle schoolers say their teacher "really does." In their podcast, they talk to one of their favorite teachers and some of her former students to figure out what makes her so special.
The Careers Kids Consider
Students: Zoey Nolan and Abigail Stettler
Teacher/Sponsor: Catherine Rinko-Gay, Barrington Elementary School in Upper Arlington, Ohio
NPR Member Stations: WOSU and WCBE
What did you want to be when you were a kid? Zoey and Abigail asked their fellow middle schoolers what careers they want to pursue when they grow up. And they talked to some professionals about what their jobs are actually like.
The Device Debate
Student: Eleanor Deutsch
Teacher/Sponsor: Jessica Deutsch, Troy Intermediate School in Avon Lake, Ohio
NPR Member Station: Ideastream
As a fifth grader, Eleanor said she has been using her computer in school more than ever. She interviewed students, parents and administrators to learn more about the pros and cons of technology in school. She even proposed a few alternatives like good 'ol paper and pencil.
High School Finalists
A Small Town's Meteoric Significance
Students: Addy Dooley, Mallory Stone, Carson Becker, Aidan Bell and Anna Crall
Teacher/Sponsor: Jade Sewell, Illini Bluffs High School in Glasford, Ill.
NPR Member Stations: WCBU, WILL, WUIS and WGLT
"I remember sitting out on the curb and I felt light headed." A group of high schoolers investigate a suspected gas leak at school. But instead of busted pipes, they find a crater millions of years old and a subterranean storage facility.
Artificially Intelligent
Student: Miles Jackman
Teacher/Sponsor: Su Hudson, Public Academy for Performing Arts in Albuquerque, N.M.
NPR Member Stations: KUNM and KANW
Miles is a high schooler in New Mexico who loves to write. But with artificial intelligence pervasive in school, this student wanted to know: How is it influencing students' work?
La Vida Llena
Student: Ulysses McKittrick
Teacher/Sponsor: David Khoury, Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn, N.Y.
NPR Member Stations: WNYC, WFUV, WBGO and WNYE
"Wouldn't questions about identity and defining experiences be better suited for people who had already lived full, exciting lives?" That's what high schooler Ulysses asks in his podcast. As he is working on his college essays, he interviews an elderly woman to get some generational insight.
Music on the Mind
Student: Haarrathi Kanna
Teacher/Sponsor: Molly Earle, Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Greenville, N.Y.
NPR Member Stations: WNYC, WFUV, WBGO, WNYE, Connecticut Public and WSHU
High schooler Haarrathi volunteers with a music therapist, and she's seen first hand how music can help students with learning differences. But how does music affect the brain? That's the question she posed to three neurologists.
Refusing the Sideline
Student: Charles Post
Teacher/Sponsor: Pamela Ng, Los Altos High School in Los Altos, Calif.
NPR Member Stations: KQED and KALW
"They say life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it." That's the lesson Charles has learned from his junior varsity football coach. Coach Mellow has struggled with health complications, but this student says his impact has never been greater. In his podcast, Charles talks to his teammates and Coach Mellow about the difference he's made in their lives.
The Government Exodus: Why Federal Workers Resign
Student: Anna Su
Teacher/Sponsor: Kyle Wannen, Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Md.
NPR Member Station: WAMU
While hundreds of thousands of federal workers voluntarily left their jobs in 2025, Anna's mom stayed. But this high schooler wanted to know, why did so many other government employees leave? She interviews former federal workers to understand what was going through their heads.
The Person I am Becoming
Student: Allen Mondragon
Teacher/Sponsor: Joel Ruvalcaba, J. Sterling Morton High School East in Cicero, Ill.
NPR Member Stations: WBEZ and WILL
Four years ago, Allen's father died. But his presence never faded. "Death ended his life, but it didn't end his impact." Now, Allen is working to become the man his father knew he could be. So he set out to learn: What was his dad's legacy, and what about him did people love?
The Sounds of Our Home
Student: Jacob Zheng
Teacher/Sponsor: Jeff Oleksinski, Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Mich.
NPR Member Stations: Michigan Public, WEMU, WDET and WKAR
When you think of home, what sounds come to mind? For Jacob, it's the ring of a FaceTime call, the debates over superheroes and the latest family mission on Minecraft. When his sister moved away to college, those nights around the computer became all the more meaningful.
What Happens to Memories?
Student: Amit Biligiri
Teacher/Sponsor: Pejing Lee, Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose, Calif.
NPR Member Stations: KQED, KALW and KAZU
"There are entire weeks of my life I don't remember." And that got high school junior Amit wondering, why? "My name, Amit, translates to limitless, to infinite. But when it comes to my own life, my archive feels quite limited." In this podcast, Amit gets to the bottom of why some memories stick, and why others seem to fade away.
Why Collect?
Student: Jay Burnett
Teacher/Sponsor: Shane Burnett, Lakeside School in Seattle, Wash.
NPR Member Stations: KUOW, KNKX and NWPB
To what lengths would you go to finish a collection? High schooler Jay says he's heard wild stories. But what drives people to collect things to begin with? Maybe it's a challenge. Or perhaps it's about control. Jay talks to friends and fellow collectors in an attempt to answer that question.
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