Student Podcast Challenge
The Student Podcast Challenge will be discontinued after the 2024-2025 contest
Our Stories Are What Connect Us
University Liggett School's Place-Based Humanities Program invites third through twelfth grade students from across the country to participate in its inaugural place-based podcast contest.
In a five to fifteen minute original podcast, you have an opportunity to tell a local story from your community and connect that story to broader regional, national, or world themes.
You may create the podcast individually or in a group.
Submissions should be relevant to you and/or your local community (we understand that “local community” can be defined in many different ways; you may define your local community however you wish).
Contest Prizes
Participants have a chance to win one of several prizes:
One Grand Prize winner will receive a certificate, recognition on the University Liggett School Place-Based Humanities website, and $500
Six Gold Prize winners will receive a certificate, recognition on the University Liggett School Place-Based Humanities website, and $250.
Honorable mention recipients will receive a certificate, recognition on the University Liggett School Place-Based Humanities website, and $100.
Congratulations to Our 2023-2024 Prize Winners!
Grand Prize:
Teresa R. "Prohibition: Fuel of the Motor City"
Gold Prize:
Ned H. "The Great Migration and Detroit"
Sienna B., Jazmin D., Delaney R., Nina S. "Women in World War I"
Olivia M. and Avery W. "Mighty Manufacturers: Henry Ford"
Ameerah D. and Vivienne M. "Blight in Detroit"
Prize-Winning Podcasts
Please listen to some of our contest-winning podcasts from over the years to learn more about how local stories are representative of larger events in our nation and world.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be judged on the following criteria:
Place-Based Content (connections to the local community and broader themes; research)
Organization (including structure and flow)
Creativity (including uniqueness and voice)
Production (including editing and polish)
Adherence to Contest Rules (including length requirements and avoiding copyrighted material)
Submit your podcast by Friday, April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm.
The Official Contest Rules are available here.
