![Students Earn Awards in NPR Student Podcast Challenge]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1592407606/bronxvilleschoolorg/mtmzqhraenfcue0rbaq8/061720_soundcloud.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1592407606/bronxvilleschoolorg/mtmzqhraenfcue0rbaq8/061720_soundcloud.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1592407606/bronxvilleschoolorg/mtmzqhraenfcue0rbaq8/061720_soundcloud.jpg","width":521}])
Bronxville High School students – freshmen Ava DiClemente, Sophia McCarthy, Anastasia Richard and Audrey Spiegel and sophomore Paul Hodulik – have earned honorable mentions in the 2020 National Public Radio Student Podcast Challenge.
The students created their podcasts on topics related to Latin and the ancient world as part of class assignments in teacher Denise Flood’s Latin classes. They were among more than 2,200 podcast entries from students all over the country. From the competitive pool, judges chose two grand prize winners, 25 finalists and 215 honorable mentions.
Hodulik was awarded honorable mention for his podcast, “The Origin of Friendship,” which is an exploration of the reasons why humans and other species have evolved to stick together. He was inspired to create his podcast after reading Cicero’s “De Amicitia (On Friendship)”.
DiClemente, McCarthy, Richard and Spiegel were awarded honorable mention for their podcast, “Keeping Up With the Senators: MURDER and BETRAYAL,” which explored the misconceptions of the murder of Julius Caesar. In their episode, the students focused on the forgotten mastermind of the assassination, Decimus, and how his role was recast and given to Brutus. They were inspired to create their podcast after studying different aspects of ancient Roman society.
“I am so proud of my students,” Flood said. “We started the project prior to distance learning, and students needed to adapt quickly to complete their projects through Zoom classes. They worked collaboratively in breakout rooms online and found time outside of class to connect online and record and edit the final product. They persevered, stayed the course and were rewarded for their hard work.”
Flood said she encouraged the students to enter the contest to provide them with an authentic audience for their work.
“The students could connect their work in class to the real world,” she said. “The goal of the project was for students to share the importance of the study of Latin and ancient culture and its enduring relevance today.”
To listen to “The Origin of Friendship,” visit: https://soundcloud.com/paulhodulik1/the-origin-of-friendship.
To listen to “Keeping Up With The Senators: MURDER and BETRAYAL,” visit https://soundcloud.com/anastasia-richard-805371347/keeping-up-with-the-senators-murder-and-betrayal/s-gIjX7PxNJSD.
