A group of 15 Hewlett-Woodmere students has earned national recognition for exploring what it means to be an informed and engaged American citizen, becoming one of 10 middle school finalists in the 2026 NPR Student Podcast Challenge.
Their podcast, “Civics in Our Schools,” was selected from nearly 1,500 submissions representing 42 states and Washington, D.C. The students also won NPR’s America In Pursuit initiative in July, receiving the America 250 Prize in connection with the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
The project, created by fifth graders last school year through Hewlett Elementary School’s Discovery gifted and enrichment program, examines what young people know about their country and how schools can help students become informed citizens. The students interviewed classmates, teachers and a district administrator about social studies instruction and civic engagement.
Jaime Harrington, the Discovery teacher who guided the project, said podcasting allowed students to combine academic skills with creativity and collaboration.
“Creating a podcast requires so many different skills,” Harrington said. “This podcast challenge made it an opportunity to share with an even wider audience.”
The project began with a discussion about what students knew about the United States. Initially, they considered creating a quiz show using questions from the U.S. citizenship test. Their idea evolved as interviews helped them explore how children learn about their country and what it means to be an informed citizen.
Students collaborated on a script, summarized interviews, composed original music and sound effects, and edited recordings into a finished production.
“The story that they start out with, or that we start out with together, outlining, is not the story we end up with,” Harrington said. “What you hear from the people you speak to informs your story.”
Students used portable microphones and iPads to record interviews and created their own music and sound effects. The project took several months, beginning in the winter and continuing until the May submission deadline.
The recognition extended beyond the group project. Two additional podcasts created by students received honorable mentions. One explored video game history, while another examined homework-related stress.
Dara Widzowski, now a sixth grader at Woodmere Middle School, worked with friends on the homework-stress podcast. The group researched how excessive homework can contribute to stress and overwhelm students.
“Being able to make it with my friends and learn about what happens and do research with them” was her favorite part, Widzowski said. She added that receiving an honorable mention meant a lot to her.
Mason King, also a sixth grader at Woodmere Middle School, said collaborating with classmates made the experience memorable.
“It was just really fun since I was, like, with my friends,” King said.
Owenize Udevbulu, another former Discovery student, helped develop music ideas for the group podcast. A piano and violin player, he said incorporating original music was a highlight.
Working with classmates and Harrington made fifth grade especially meaningful, he said.
“The words I would use to describe the podcast and my experience with it was fun, engaging, and informal,” Udevbulu said.
Harrington said she was proud of the students regardless of the competition results, emphasizing the value of learning to collaborate, communicate and develop a story through research.
For Udevbulu, the experience offered more than national recognition. It gave him the chance to combine his interests in music and storytelling while working alongside classmates.
“The words I would use to describe the podcast and my experience with it was fun, engaging, and informal,” he said.
