Students Reflect on American Experience through Podcasts for NPR’s 250th Anniversary

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This year marks the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. NPR invited students across the United States to create podcasts reflecting on the American experience and what ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ means to them. NPR received over 700 entries, featuring conversations with immigrant family members about their reasons for moving to the U.S. Some entries included interviews with veterans, officials, and even Gloria Steinem. Others offered historical reenactments and discussions of events like the Battle of Monmouth and the Stonewall riots. Present-day issues were also explored, such as civics education. A selection of winning entries and honorable mentions was chosen, featuring students from elementary to high school.

Winners

Abridged
Students: Grace Kepka and Angelika Garrett, Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, Md.
Teacher/Sponsor: Kyle Wannen
Grace and Angelika discuss the impact of the youth vote in Takoma Park, Md., where 16-year-olds can vote in local elections. Their podcast focuses on how voting rights encourage civic engagement.
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, Dara Widzowski, Hewlett Elementary School, N.Y.
Teacher/Sponsor: Jaime Harrington
Fifth graders voice concerns about inadequate civics education and discuss ways to become better citizens.
Leaving Greece
Student: Livie Courser, Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School, Upper Arlington, Ohio
Teacher/Sponsor: Shelly Hughes
Livie interviews her grandfather about immigrating from Greece to the U.S. He shares the challenges and how his perseverance led to owning restaurants.
Researching the Underground Railroad
Students: Travis Bozeman and Oliver Heering, South Douglas Elementary School, Douglasville, Ga.
Teacher/Sponsor: Thomas Bruno
Fourth graders present research on the Underground Railroad, enriched by an expert interview.
The American Dream
Student: Makayla Cheung, Mercer Island High School, Wash.
Teacher/Sponsor: Lauren Schechter
Makayla explores her father’s move from Hong Kong due to his talent in running, highlighting diverse interpretations of the American Dream.
The Journal
Student: Violet Maxinoski, Carmel High School, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Shelley Grahl
Violet interviews her mother, revisiting journal entries from her service in Iraq, contrasting uncertainty abroad with security in the U.S.
Welcome Home, Grandpa
Student: Ursula Koestner, Roslyn High School, N.Y.
Teacher/Sponsor: Matthew Vogt
Ursula shares her grandfather’s story, examining the lasting effects of the Vietnam War on veterans.

Honorable Mentions

America the Beautiful
Students: Pareena Gupta and Vidushee Bala, Amador Valley High School, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Stacey Sklar
America: The Ups and the Downs
Student: Alana Burwell, The Waldorf School of Philadelphia, Pa.
Teacher/Sponsor: Anyta Thomas
America’s New Favorite Sport-Girls’ Flag Football
Students: Josephine Barry-Kao and Malcolm Barry-Kao, Lowell High School, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Jacqueline Moses
An Intro to Differing Perspectives
Student: Waylon Heikinen, Ingomar Middle School, Pa.
Teacher/Sponsor: Heath Gamache
Becoming American
Students: Karolina Zientek, James Gearhart, Andrea Vezmar, Troy Murray, August Hutchison, Greenwich High School, Conn.
Teacher/Sponsor: Lukasz Zientek
Before You Drop A Track: America’s 250th Anniversary
Student: Lukas Boulom, Public Academy For Performing Arts, N.M.
Teacher/Sponsor: Su Hudson
Dawg Talk | Are we equal now?
Students: Makenna Aniszewski, Trinlee Leitner, Nagamoshitha Manivannan, Nethra Prabhu, Vaishnavi Tiwari, Sophia Van Dorn, Otwell Middle School, Ga.
Teacher/Sponsor: David Miller
Democracy for Everyone or No One
Student: Jeju Daisy Ahn-Miles, Punahou School, Hawaii
Teacher/Sponsor: Christine Ahn
Everything Given Forward
Student: Lara Leon, Mountain View High School, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Tom Chang
Fifty Stars, One Banner
Student: Naina Dhillon, Khan Lab School, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Emily Lindsey
Freedom’s Shore
Student: Dipa Chéry, The Kinkaid School, Texas
Teacher/Sponsor: Olen Rambow
From One Immigrant To Another
Student: Afomia Lemma, St. Mary’s Lynn, Mass.
Teacher/Sponsor: Tiringo Endalamaw
Hope and Resistance
Student: Zinnia Bender, North Fork High School, Colo.
Teacher/Sponsor: Clara Pena
How Is My Life Like In US
Student: Yicheng Sun, Rectory School, Conn.
Teacher/Sponsor: Andrew Barker
Life of a Soldier
Students: Della Axelband, Peyton Johnson, Lily Epstein, Lilly Murillo, Jupiter Middle School, Fla.
Teacher/Sponsor: Sireesha Rutter
More Than A Photograph
Student: Josie Sloan-Westmoreland, The Learning Community School, N.C.
Teacher/Sponsor: David Bird
Moving From Country to Country
Students: Ida Buerckert, Daniella Cubas, Ayano Enishi, Anastaiia Koshyk, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Conn.
Teacher/Sponsor: Alysson Olsen
Picketts Charge
Student: Zoe Snyder, Susquenita High School, Pa.
Teacher/Sponsor: Terrance Shepler
“So What??”
Student: Caroline Harris, Marin Academy, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Kelly Kurtzig
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Student: Lark (Miles) Jackman, Public Academy For Performing Arts, N.M.
Teacher/Sponsor: Su Hudson
Teddy Roosevelt and His Pets
Students: Abbott Mearns and Keaton Rainwater, College Place Middle School, Wash.
Teacher/Sponsor: Colindra Connolly
The Battle of Monmouth: A Twist on History
Students: Leonardo, Zinna, Kaiden, Marlboro Middle School, N.J.
Teacher/Sponsor: Tara Meara
The Freedom to Fail
Students: Abraham Coher, William Pan, Polytechnic School, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Aliya Coher
The Government Exodus: Why Federal Workers Resign
Student: Anna Su, Montgomery Blair High School, Md.
Teacher/Sponsor: Kyle Wannen
The Name I Chose Polly Bemis (September 11, 1853 – November 6, 1933)
Student: Jubilee Sung, Imaginate Ink, Calif.
Teacher/Sponsor: Clarissa Ngo
The Pig and Potato Podcast
Student: Petra Rouhana, Maryvale Preparatory School, Md.
Teacher/Sponsor: Deirdre McAllister
The Small Pond of Peace
Students: Noam Dekel, Ronnie Dekel, Ian Rodriguez, Leonardo Leon-Espinoza, Singary Fofana, Ashly Arboleda-Osorio, Olumide Martin, Salma Elshaarawi, P.S. 333 Manhattan School for Children, N.Y.
Teacher/Sponsor: Karin Patterson
to be united as citizens
Student: Josh Langlois, Cloverleaf Home Education, Colo.
Teacher/Sponsor: Tony Winger
Two Worlds, One Dream
Student: Allayar Maratov, Rectory School, Conn.
Teacher/Sponsor: Andrew Barker
What is Home?
Student: Siobhan Allen, The Hewitt School, N.Y.
Teacher/Sponsor: Jonathan Sabol