All Of It (WNYC)

Episode: Presenting Local Student Finalists from NPR's 'Student Podcast Challenge'
Host: Alison Stewart
Date: October 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode celebrates and spotlights the next generation of audio storytellers—middle and high school students from the New York area who were finalists in NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge. Host Alison Stewart interviews the student creators and their teachers, discussing their podcast topics, the making-of process, and what they learned by reporting on real issues close to them. The featured finalists are from Edgemont High School (Westchester, NY), William Annan Middle School (Basking Ridge, NJ), and Mount Olive Middle School (Budd Lake, NJ).

Edgemont High School – “Kindness Served One Cup at a Time”

(00:07–13:36)

Main Theme

A profile of Sleepy Coffee 2, a coffee shop in Sleepy Hollow, NY, dedicated to hiring and training people with intellectual disabilities, highlighting the value of inclusive employment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Student Introductions (01:08):
Each student shared their name, grade, and feelings upon making the finalist list (“shocked,” “proud,” “honored,” “so excited”).

The Project’s Genesis (01:50):

• Molly (teacher): Used the podcast assignment in her English class to teach research, interviewing, and writing skills while connecting students to real-world issues.
  • “We use it... to develop genuine writing voice and their own sense of the importance of writing.” (01:55)

Why Podcasting? (02:24):

• Lily: Emphasizes the accessibility and intimacy of audio storytelling.
  • “Podcasts are so accessible to people... being able to hear our voice, hear from the employees, hear their audio is just super powerful.” (02:24)
• Kate: The importance of highlighting under-discussed topics such as inclusive employment.

Motivation for the Topic (03:18):

• Maddie: Inspired by a collaboration with Love Michael, a business employing people with intellectual disabilities, they sought to broaden awareness with Sleepy Coffee 2.
• Naomi: Outlines the mission of Sleepy Coffee 2 and its founder Kim Kaczmarek, a former teacher who created lasting opportunities for her former students as adults.
  • “She decided to start a business where she could employ some of her past students…” (03:54)

Clip from the Podcast (05:35–07:25):

• Interview highlights include employees expressing gratitude for their jobs (notably Ella), the challenges of finding employment for people with intellectual disabilities, and the dedication of Kim.
  • Ella (speaking emotionally): “I’m getting emotional because it’s been a long journey for me and I’m so blessed and thankful that Ms. Kaczmarek took a chance on me...” (05:59)
  • Kim: “Sometimes you hear an employer can’t fill a job… Well, this community wants to work and wants to be respected and valued just like everybody else.” (06:34)

Reflections on the Process (07:44+):

• Lily: On the power of hearing stories first-hand and the rarity of such inclusive businesses.
• Maddie: Describes the rigorous editing process and classroom feedback.
• Kate & Naomi: On navigating respectful interviewing and the importance of understanding individuals' stories, not just abstract issues.

Lessons in Journalism (10:27):

• Molly: Emphasizes the difference between theoretical and practical journalism, including real-world interviewing.
• Lily, Maddie, Kate, Naomi: Teamwork, careful scripting, authentic storytelling, and integrating research are standout lessons.
  • Naomi: “We learned a lot about teamwork… it was more of a conversation than anything else.” (12:48)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Ella (interviewee, staff member): “All she needed was someone to give her an opportunity to prove her contributions to the workforce are just as important as anyone else’s.” (06:16)
• Kim Kaczmarek (owner): “There’s a whole workforce… of people that want to work.” (06:29)
• Maddie (student): “We really wanted to make sure that… we weren’t over narrating or over explaining, because the most important thing was getting that connection with them.” (12:04)

William Annan Middle School – “What Makes a Good Teacher?”

(13:48–23:08)

Main Theme

An exploration by seventh graders into what constitutes “a good teacher,” based on interviews with students and teachers in their own school.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Student Introductions (14:49):

• Vidhika & Maya, age 12 (7th grade): Both express excitement at being selected as finalists.

Why the Topic? (15:19):

• Maya: Personal relevance and a wish to spotlight great teachers.
• Vidhika: Through reporting, learned good teachers foster community, connect with students, take feedback, and maintain high standards.
  • “They’re trying to make a sense of community…while still maintaining high standards, which makes kids want to learn.” (16:17)

Parent Perspective (15:29):

• Suniti Patel (parent): Praises the topic’s importance and the unseen work teachers do.
  • “Teachers just make such a difference...They raise the next generation of leaders.” (15:41)

Learning Reporting Skills (17:00):

• Vidhika: Admits having no prior experience, but gained confidence as the project progressed.

Clip from the Podcast (18:01–19:33):

• Students ask peers what makes a good teacher; responses are candid and occasionally surprising (“I actually do learn better when my teacher is strict…” (18:18); “I think a good teacher has to be kind of like, connect with you… but push you past your limits…” (18:45))

Editing and Narration (19:46+):

• Maya: Editing was challenging, largely due to audio quality issues.
• Both: Sought inspiration from existing podcasts, aiming for a smooth blend of interviews and narration.

Impact on Their Thinking (21:09):

• Vidhika & Maya: Realized that being a “nice” teacher is not enough; effective educators work hard to challenge and support students.
  • “Before, we thought they always had to be nice, but then we learned how much work they really do.” (21:34)

Reflections on the Process (21:51):

• Both students note the high workload (editing, research, scripting), and Maya started her own podcast afterward.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Vidhika: “At first we thought a good teacher just doesn’t give homework or they’re just nice all the time... but these effective teachers... are putting in a lot of thought.” (21:15)
• Parent, Ms. Patel: “I want them to feel empowered and to know that their ideas, the stories they choose, matter. Their voice matters.” (17:15)
• Maya: “After we did this podcast, I started my own podcast called ‘Wait, What? Now You Know’.” (22:15)

Mount Olive Middle School – “Cellular Usage”

(23:28–34:20)

Main Theme

A roundtable discussion and audio essay on whether students should be permitted to use their cellphones during lunch breaks, reflecting on rules, freedom, and responsibility in school life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Student Introductions (24:13):

• Aria, Saniya, Eliza, and Anthony (all 8th grade): Share feelings of excitement, shock, and even tearing up when they heard about their finalist status.

Podcasting as a Class (24:40):

• Sasha Fragar (teacher): Podcasting is an elective course where students choose their own topics, handle all production steps, and learn both technical and professional skills.
  • “I want them to learn a lot of different skills and learn how to conduct themselves professionally and have an idea to making it real.” (24:45)

Why This Topic? (25:45):

• Anthony: Students are frustrated by school phone bans, especially noting differences between class and lunch periods.
• Aria: Lunch break is precious unstructured time, and students wish to use phones then.
• Eliza & Saniya: School policy seems unfair compared to other schools.

Objective vs. Subjective Reporting (27:04):

• Teacher’s role: Emphasis on balanced reporting, seeking interviews from more than just friends, asking unbiased questions, and understanding subjective vs. objective storytelling.

Clip from the Podcast (28:33–30:00):

• Mix of teacher and student interviews—most teachers oppose phone use at lunch, while most students favor it, proposing responsible use and boundaries.
  • “We should have, like, a system in place to prevent people from misusing phones, but I think we should (have them).” (29:02)
  • “If we had phones during lunch, I would take my phone to lunch and… I’d probably watch Netflix or YouTube.” (29:45)

Reflection on Surprises (30:06):

• Eliza: “I was surprised that many teachers said no. I thought at least one would say yes.”
• Other students: Interviewing authority figures was nerve-wracking.

The Editorial Process (31:01):

• Anthony: Editing was tough, especially choosing the best sound bites.

Teamwork and Real-life Skills Learned (31:30):

• Aria: Emphasizes the importance of collaboration.
• Saniya & Eliza: Describe being in an assigned group (not chosen), having to learn to communicate and divvy up tasks without pre-existing friendships.
• Anthony: “At first we didn't all like each other, but then we all came together and then we did.” (32:39)
• Sasha (teacher): Podcasting builds skills in writing, professional conduct, teamwork, and information synthesis.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Teacher (Sasha Fragar): “A podcast is basically just an essay but with audio clips instead of writing.” (33:03)
• Anthony: “At first we didn’t all like each other, but then we all came together and then we did.” (32:39)

Episode Highlights

• Students are deeply moved and motivated by the power of real stories—both those about their communities and their own school experiences.
• Podcasting builds not only journalistic skills (interviewing, editing, narration) but also confidence, collaboration, and empathy.
• Teachers play a pivotal role in guiding the process but let students take the lead on topics close to their lives.
• Student voices reveal perspectives too often overlooked: the desire for dignity in employment, the complexity of teaching, and the challenges and freedoms of school policy.

Memorable Quotes with Timestamps

• “I’m getting emotional because it’s been a long journey for me and I’m so blessed and thankful that Ms. Kaczmarek took a chance on me.” — Ella, Sleepy Coffee 2 Employee (05:59)
• “This community wants to work and wants to be respected and valued just like everybody else.” — Kim Kaczmarek, owner (06:34)
• “We weren't over narrating or over explaining, because the most important thing was getting that connection with them.” — Maddie, Edgemont student (12:04)
• “I think strict teachers help me learn more.” — William Annan MS student, in student interviews (18:18)
• “Teachers just make such a difference in this world. They raise the next generation of leaders.” — Suniti Patel, parent (15:41)
• “A podcast is basically just an essay but with audio clips…” — Sasha Fragar, teacher (33:03)
• “At first we didn’t all like each other, but then we all came together and then we did.” — Anthony, Mount Olive Middle School (32:39)
• “Their voice matters.” — Suniti Patel, parent (17:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Edgemont High School Interview: 00:07–13:36
  • Clip from “Kindness Served One Cup at a Time”: 05:53–07:25
• William Annan Middle School Interview: 13:48–23:08
  • Clip from “What Makes a Good Teacher?”: 18:01–19:33
• Mount Olive Middle School Interview: 23:28–34:20
  • Clip from “Cellular Usage”: 28:33–30:00

Tone & Style

Warm, encouraging, and celebratory, the episode shines a light on students’ curiosity, growth, and earnest inquiry into their communities. The host engages with students with genuine interest, and the students’ excitement and sometimes playful candor come through, especially in discussions of nerves, group dynamics, and discoveries made along the way.

This episode is a celebration of budding local voices, their capacity for empathy and critical inquiry, and the transformative power of storytelling—for themselves and their communities.