Once again this year, fourth grade teachers around the county turned their classrooms into recording studios, and their students submitted outstanding stories, interviews and commentaries for NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge.
Listening to these entries, our judges found much to celebrate: from detailed reporting on how math instruction is changing, to the challenge of withdrawing from technology, to a charming – and balanced – discussion of the question: Who has it better, kids or grownups?
This the second year we’ve opened the competition to fourth graders, at the request of teachers around the country. (The Student Podcast Challenge, now in its seventh year, recognizes great podcasts each year by students in grades five through eight, and nine through 12).
One of our fourth-grade winners from last year, Ameya Desai of Williams Elementary School in San Jose, Calif., this year became our first-ever returning champion. She won our middle school grand prize for her podcast, Far From Home – Shikata Ga Nai.
From the submissions we received this year, our team chose three winning entries and two honorable mentions. Here is our list, in alphabetical order, of the best fourth grade podcasts for 2025:
Winners
Students: Emma Chayon, Emma Perez and Ella Elraviv, Acton Academy of Bergen County in Closter, N.J.
Teacher/Sponsor: Ashley Edwards
Who really has it better — kids or adults? In this lively and entertaining debate, fourth grader Ella Elraviv faces off against her teacher, Ms. Edwards, to settle the score once and for all. Moderated by classmates, the two discuss everyday topics like responsibility, bedtime rules and whether it’s okay to eat Oreos for dinner.
Ella argues that kids win, since among other perks they pay no taxes and have fun snacks. Ms. Edwards defends the adults, noting their freedom to binge watch TV and go wherever they want. Sprinkled with laughter and childlike energy, this debate explores the pros and cons of both worlds.
Student: Noah Brown, Jefferson Elementary School in Union City, N.J.
Teacher/Sponsor: Andrew Bishop
Fourth grader Noah Brown takes a leap into the future as he talks about AI and its growing role in the entertainment industry. Going as far back as the 1700s, Noah looks at the history of artificial intelligence and how AI is used now.
He reports that creative roles like scriptwriting and vocal performances remain safe jobs in Hollywood, but he notes estimates that by 2026, over 20% of the industry may be taken over.
Student: Alana Burwell, The Waldorf School of Philadelphia in Philadelphia.
Teacher/Sponsor: Anyta Thomas
During a field trip with her fourth-grade class, Alana Burwell faces an unexpected challenge: spending three whole nights on a farm without technology. What she thought would be impossible becomes a fun experience connecting with her classmates and the animals around her. Alana finds joy in feeding cows and pigs, collecting eggs from chickens, and meeting horses and llamas. Along the way she roasts marshmallows with her teachers and goes on a scavenger hunt with friends.
Honorable Mentions
Student: Finley Pritchard, Byron Kibler Elementary School in Enumclaw, Wash.
Teacher/Sponsor: Nicole Webb
Fourth grader Finley Pritchard gives an eye-opening talk on the importance of pet adoption, by looking at it through the minds of shelter animals. He explains that many pets face being euthanized in shelters each year – not because of bad behavior, but due to irresponsible breeding and lack of spaying or neutering. In this podcast, Finley emphasizes the need for more people to adopt their pets through local animal shelters.
The Times Are Changing and Math Is Too
Student: Kennedy Abramowitz, Eva Marshall Magnet Elementary School in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Teacher/Sponsor: Katie Krause
In this podcast, Kennedy Abramowitz reveals that for generations, kids have heard the statements: “Math sure is difficult these days,” and “Why can’t teachers just teach the old-fashioned way” from their parents. In this interview with her school district’s math coordinator, Ms. Jane, the fourth grader examines how “new math” continues to evolve.