WASHINGTON (March 15, 2023) – Today C-SPAN announced that students at Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma are winners in C-SPAN’s national 2023 StudentCam competition. The following students have won prizes:

Sophia Smith and Jacob Shaddock will receive $3,000 as first prize winners for the documentary, “Unearthing the Options,” about the future of death care in the United States. This documentary will air on C-SPAN on April 19 at 6:50 a.m. ET and throughout the day.

Mi’Lea Tackett will receive $1,500 as a second prize winner for the documentary, “Do Not Let Me Leave This Earth Without Justice: Reparations for the Tulsa Race Massacre.” This documentary will air on C-SPAN on April 7 at 6:50 a.m. ET and throughout the day.

Gabriel Tiong and Lauren Cargal will receive $1,500 as second prize winners for the documentary, “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow,” about the impact of fast-fashion on the economy and the environment. This documentary will air on C-SPAN on April 3 at 6:50 a.m. ET and throughout the day.

Zane Smith and Remington Rowland will receive $750 as third prize winners for the documentary, “Right to Repair,” about anticompetitive repair restrictions.

Abigail Zemanek, Kate Pinnell and Emma Reilly will receive $750 as third prize winners for the documentary, “The Lie Behind the Label,” about organic processes set in place by the USDA.

Johanna Claros will receive $750 as a third prize winner for the documentary, “Behind the Ban,” about book banning.

Hendrik DuBois, Waleed Zainatieh and Jaxon Smith will receive $750 as third prize winners for the documentary, “Pipelines: Protecting America’s Veins.”

Oriana Urbina will receive $250 as an honorable mention prize winner for the documentary, “Addressing the Code,” about discriminatory dress codes in public schools.

Ella Walentiny and Avani Chandwaney will receive $250 as honorable mention prize winners for the documentary, “Objection, Your Honor: Juvenile Justice in America.”

C-SPAN, in cooperation with its cable television partners, asked middle and high school students to engage in a national conversation on the challenges our country is facing with the theme: “If you were a newly elected member of Congress, which issue would be your first priority and why?”

Now in its 19th year, this project-based learning experience gives students the opportunity to explore multiple perspectives on topics that are important to them and consider solutions to address them. In response, nearly 3,000 students participated, and C-SPAN received over 1,500 entries from 40 states, Washington, D.C. and Abu Dhabi. The most popular topics addressed were:

  • Health Care (16%)
  • Environment (14%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Economy (10%)
  • Gun Violence and Firearm
  • Policy (8%)

“For the first time in the history of the competition, we asked students to envision themselves in a position of power, as newly elected members of Congress,” said Craig McAndrew, director of C-SPAN Education Relations. “As each participant considered which issue would be their first priority and why, they creatively wove detailed research with expert interviews and proposed actions to address their concerns. Capitalizing on the platform of short film, these passionate young people masterfully showcased the fruits of active learning, and we are excited to share their work with the country.”

C-SPAN is funded by America’s cable television companies, who also support StudentCam. In Jenks, C-SPAN is available locally through Cox Communications.

More than 300 students from across the country are winning a total of $100,000. C-SPAN is awarding one grand prize, 4 first prizes, 16 second prizes, 32 third prizes and 97 honorable mention prizes. The winning videos will receive cash awards of $5,000, $3,000, $1,500, $750 and $250, respectively.

High school students competed on a regional level, with the United States divided into three regions: West, Central and East. Middle school students were judged on a national basis. The grand prize winner was selected nationally among all regions and grade levels.

The 150 winning videos can be viewed at www.studentcam.org and may be used in a broadcast with attribution to C-SPAN. To schedule an interview with one or more of the winning students, please contact Pam McGorry at [email protected].

The annual StudentCam competition is sponsored by the C-SPAN Education Foundation. Videos were evaluated by a panel of educators and C-SPAN representatives based on the thoughtful examination of the competition’s theme, quality of expression, inclusion of varying sides of the documentary’s topic, and effective incorporation of C-SPAN programming.