We are excited to introduce the 11 winners of Retro Report’s Civic Engagement Challenge. These students were among the 240 participants who submitted a 90-second video or a 500-word essay answering one of four prompts provided by Retro Report. Winning entries had a local angle and a creative, thoughtful, and factual approach to book bans, media literacy, menstrual equity, healthcare access, and more.
Winners will be awarded $500. They come from eight states and are between the ages of 13 and 17. Each winner demonstrated a deep understanding of the civic issue they explored and often showed a commitment to making a meaningful difference in their communities, all while modeling civil discourse. Amid a crowded election cycle, we aim to highlight student perspectives on issues affecting their local communities.
Check out the winners and finalists in the video and essay categories.
“I’m excited by how many students took the time to enter, and the high quality of submissions,” said Kyra Darnton, president and executive producer of Retro Report. “I think it’s a terrific opportunity for Retro Report to hear directly from students across the country and how they are engaging in their community.”
This interactive map shows how students across the nation participated in our Civic Engagement Challenge.
Retro Report’s challenge was launched in partnership with Civics Unplugged and had the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Over 50 educators in Retro Report’s Teacher Advisory Team served as judges. Educators from all over the country encouraged students to participate in the challenge, with some even turning it into a school project.
Social studies teacher Amanda Perschall from Lebanon, MO, took this approach.
Perschall, a Civic Fellow for Retro Report, introduced the Civic Engagement Challenge as a class project, allowing students to have “extensive time learning about civil discourse” while encouraging them to “submit their work.”
“This initiative gave me an opportunity for them to show off their skills,” she said. “We can learn so much from each other, even when we disagree if we are willing and able to hear each other.”
The Civic Engagement Challenge was part of an effort to empower students to participate confidently in civic life. Teachers can explore our Civics Resource Center with dozens of free civics videos, lesson plans and student activities ideal for grades 6-12. Our four-part docuseries “Citizen Nation,” launched in October by PBS, explores how teens across the country participate in the nation’s most important civic competition: We the People. The series is available on Retro Report, PBS, and Prime Video, with related resources on Retro Report’s website.
Yash Markendey is an audience engagement intern at Retro Report. He is an undergraduate at Northwestern’s Medill School, studying journalism, marketing and design.
