NPR Names Finalists for America’s Best Student Podcasts Competition
NPR has announced the finalists for America's best student podcasts, selecting 10 middle school and 10 high school entries from nearly 1,500 submissions across the United States.
Baltimore, MD, September 30, 2026 — NPR has revealed the finalists for its annual America’s Best Student Podcasts competition, recognizing outstanding audio storytelling from young creators nationwide. The selection process has narrowed down a pool of nearly 1,500 submissions to 20 promising entries.
The competition highlights the talent of middle and high school students who have produced compelling podcast content. A total of 10 finalists were chosen from the middle school category, and another 10 finalists were selected from the high school category. These finalists represent a diverse range of stories and production quality from across the United States.
The number of entries received, nearly 1,500, indicates a significant engagement with audio storytelling among students. NPR’s initiative aims to foster creativity and provide a platform for young voices in the podcasting medium.
Further details regarding the specific finalists, their respective schools, and the themes of their submitted podcasts were not provided in the announcement. Information regarding the judging criteria, the timeline for winners’ announcement, or any prizes associated with the competition was also not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by Kadin Mills on www.npr.org, see more information here.
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