The headquarters for National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington, D.C.
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NPR Senior Podcast Challenge invites Pennsylvania seniors to share their stories
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Asia Tabb
Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images
The headquarters for National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington, D.C.
aired; August 19, 2026
Storytelling isn’t just for the younger generation. NPR is inviting people 65 and older to pick up a microphone or their smartphone and share the stories, experiences and ideas that have shaped their lives.
On The Spark, Steve Drummond and Janet Woojeong Lee discussed NPR’s new Senior Podcast Challenge, an extension of the long-running Student Podcast Challenge. The contest gives older adults an opportunity to tell their own stories in their own voices.
Drummond said the idea came from hearing students interview grandparents and older neighbors for the Student Podcast Challenge. “People over 65, and there are 60 million of them in the United States, are the fastest growing part of the population. We think they’re a group of people that don’t often find their voices reflected in the national discussion sometimes, but also we think they are a generation with a lot of experience, a lot stories to tell, a lot life under their belts. And we’d like to hear those stories.”
Lee said the goal is to let seniors decide what stories they want to tell, whether it’s about retirement, family, relationships, a new chapter in life or something they’ve always wanted to explore. “By giving seniors the mic, like we are just really excited to hear what stories they want to tell us.”
And participants don’t need expensive equipment or professional podcasting experience. Drummond said a smartphone, a computer and basic editing software can be enough to create a podcast.
The final submission can be up to eight minutes, and Lee says participants shouldn’t worry about making their production technically perfect. “We have higher priority on story and structure over production. So even if you’ve maybe never made a podcast before and might feel intimidated by the tech, you still have a great shot as long as you know what story you’re trying to tell.”
The contest is open August 16 through November 30. The grand-prize winner will be invited to NPR’s Washington, D.C., headquarters to hear their story air on Weekend Edition Sunday.
For Drummond, the challenge is also an opportunity for generations to learn from one another.“I think passing on wisdom is a thing that we look to our elders for, and I think that’s an opportunity here. We have people who have lived a full, rich life and want to talk about it and have things to learn.”
CLICK HERE to submit your application.
Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation.