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2020 NPR Student Podcast challenge

NPR Student Podcast Challenge Now Open To Those In College


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For its third Student Podcast Challenge, NPR is opening up the contest to anyone pursuing their associate’s or bachelor’s degrees, in addition to middle and high school students.

The Student Podcast Challenge: College Edition will be open from December 1, 2020 through February 15. The contest for middle and high school entries will run from January 1, 2021 to March 15. The winners from each will be notified in late spring.

“I’m thrilled to be expanding the Student Podcast Challenge to adult students of all ages, at both community colleges and four-year institutions,” said Steve Drummond, executive producer of NPR Ed and Code Switch. “We can’t wait to hear what these students have to say in their podcasts.”

Both college and middle-school and high-school students (with the help of their teachers) will be asked to produce a podcast, between three and 12 minutes long, on a topic, issue or story of their choosing. To help students and classrooms get started, NPR will also share suggested, but not required prompts, along with a set of criteria that judges will use to pick winning podcasts.

Podcast contest for those pursuing associate's or bachelor's degrees opens December 1, 2020; opens January 1 for grades 5-12

As in years past, NPR’s Education Team is providing training materials and resources to participants. The team, who won a Murrow award this month for “Excellence in Innovation”, will offer guidance on how to use a smartphone to record audio, how to conduct an interview, audio storytelling tips and tricks — for both teachers and students of all ages. Those looking for additional guidance can turn to NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge podcast, which highlights great student podcasts and the people who made them, along with insight from NPR reporters and past judges about what makes great audio.

In addition to having their work featured on national NPR programs, winning middle-school, high-school and college students will also have NPR journalists report features on their entries. Other standout podcasts may be featured online, on other NPR programs or on local Member stations.

About NPR

NPR’s rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connect with millions of Americans every day — on the air, online, and in person. NPR strives to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners can find NPR by tuning in to their local Member stations (npr.org/stations), and now it’s easy to listen to our stories on smart speaker devices. Ask your smart speaker to, “Play NPR,” and you’ll be tuned into your local Member station’s live stream. Your speaker can also access NPR podcasts, NPR One, NPR News Now, and the Visual Newscast is available for screened speakers. Get more information at npr.org/about and by following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.