NPR Honors Roslyn Student's Powerful Podcast

Roslyn High School Junior Ursula Koestner was selected as one of four national winners of NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge: America 250. Her audio narrative is a deeply personal story inspired by her grandfather, a Vietnam veteran, and explores the lasting impact of the war on soldiers and their families. NPR included excerpts from Ursula's piece on Weekend Edition: Sunday, a nationally syndicated news program.

The Student Podcast Challenge receives up to 5,000 submissions every year, making it incredibly competitive and any recognition exceptionally rare. A RosPod duo earned finalist recognition for their piece on George Washington and two others received honorable mentions. Ursula, who is entering her third semester in the podcasting program as a peer leader, is RosPod's first winner.

"Ursula completed countless script revisions, labored over an effective soundscape, and had to re-record her vocals a few times,” said teacher Matthew Vogt. “It took a while to get it right. I'll never forget listening to the final cut. I knew it was the best piece we had ever produced, and I told her it was going to win, and it did."

Click here to listen to her podcast