MARQUETTE — WNMU-FM, Public Radio 90, is inviting students from the region in grades 5-8 and 9-12 to enter National Public Radio’s Student Podcast Challenge to compete for a chance to have their work featured on NPR.

The contest is open now and closes April 28.

An added thematic award this year will honor the best podcast dealing with mental health. Teacher involvement is required.

“We’ve said it before: all it takes is a smartphone, a laptop computer and a good idea,” WNMU-FM said in a news release. “We want to hear the ideas, issues and discussions that are bubbling up within our youth. Record the stories that will make us laugh or cry, and everything in between.”

The winners and some of the best entries will be put on NPR shows like “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered,” and on podcasts like “Code Switch.”

Students should create a podcast lasting 3 to 8 minutes long about any topic they want to explore. Past entries have addressed wide-ranging subjects including tater tots, homework, life during the pandemic and investigations about hometown mysteries. Some have featured dramatic readings of fictional stories. 

The official rules can be found at bit.ly/3GxHnO4. NPR also offers a host of training materials, guides for sound recording/audio production and use of music, tips on what makes a good podcast and other resources here. 

For more information, contact Kurt Hauswirth at Public Radio 90 at khauswir@nmu.edu or 906-227-2606. WNMU-FM is a public service of Northern Michigan University.