Student Award Winners
The 2026 KAB Student Awards have been judged, and the results are in! Congratulations to this year’s winners, and thank you to everyone who entered. The next generation of Kansas broadcasters continues to raise the bar for our industry.
For those attending the Student Broadcast and Sports Seminar on April 9, below is a link to the order in which awards will be announced. Due to time constraints, we will only announce first-place winners who are in attendance. Please continue scrolling to view the full list of this year’s winners.
| Group | Award | Organization | Entry | Credits |
:60 Second or less Commercial – PSA or non-com donor announcement |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | Scott Community High School | Teen Burnout PSA | Lila Green |
| 2ND | Scott Community High School | Hygiene PSA | Phebe Trout | |
| HM | Scott Community High School | Teen Vaping PSA | Chayston Berry | |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Rock Creek High School | Back Roads Broadcast Commercial | Nathan Bortnick, Tyler Bortnick |
| 2ND | Maize Career Academy Visual | People’s Bank and Trust – Customer Testimonial | Greir Stewart, Hailey Blurton | |
| HM | Scott Community High School Visual | Elevate You Commercial | Fredy Frances Aguilar | |
Best Special Programming |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Maize Career Academy | OneMaize Media visits the Kansas State Fair | Hailey Blurton, Lance Schafer, Ava Doyle, Spencer Broberg, Mason Bauman |
| 2ND | Mill Valley High School | JLC Collab w MVTV GBB Coverage | Addi Moeller, Evan LeRoy, Stuart Lovejoy, Elliot Fischer, Josh Garcia, Brandon Neis | |
| HM | Lawrence High School | LHS Winter Court 2026: Court’s Kitchen | Alex Velasco-Crates, Pilar Sphabmixay, Jeffery Clark, Sydney Riner | |
| High School Audio | 1ST | Rock Creek High School | Cornfield Conversations FFA Edition | Skyler Hulett |
Promotional Announcement |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | Scott Community High School | BBN Sports Promo | Emi Sanchez |
| 2ND | Scott Community High School | Giving Day Promo | Betty Selfridge | |
| HM | St. James Academy | OCIA at St. James Academy | Katelyn Seay | |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Maize Career Academy | Maize High Basketball Hype Video | Ava Doyle |
| 2ND | Scott Community High School | BBN Basketball Promo | Caden Burkhart | |
| HM | Hays High School | 2025 Hays High Tennis Hype Video | Emersyn SanderHigh | |
Public Affairs/Talk Show Program |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | Rock Creek High School | Wake Up or Break Up | Olivia Bowman , Joee’ Perkins |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Maize Career Academy | Spotlight Podcast: Aftermath from weapon being found at MHS | Hailey Blurton, Lance Schafer, Audrey Leen, Spencer Broberg, Mason Bauman |
Best Newscast |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Wichita Southeast High School | BTV Episode 11 2024-2025 | Dan Nguyen, Payton Simons, Leyna Huynh |
| 2ND | Maize Career Academy | OneMaize Show: Season 7 Episode 2 | Ava Doyle, Malia Taylor, Colton Forrest, Lance Schafer, Mason Bauman, Ian Reyes | |
| HM | Wichita Southeast High School | BTV Episode 6 2025-2026 | Alexis Barker, Veronica Sanchez-Roman | |
Best General News Story |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Maize Career Academy | Students stand up, walk out against I.C.E. | Lauryn O’Brien, Malia Taylor, Emma Palmer |
| 2ND | Wichita Southeast High School | Eliminating the Dept. of Education | Jazmine Snyder | |
| HM | Blue Valley NW High School | Gold Out for Pediatric Cancer | Kate Dawson | |
| High School Audio | 1ST | Rock Creek High School | Humanitarian Crisis General News Story | Coledon Johnson |
Best Feature |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Blue Valley NW High School Visual | Classroom Collections | Jaden Gines |
| 2ND | Maize Career Academy | Elote vendor becomes staple of north Wichita | Ian Reyes, Spencer Broberg, Daniel Droubie | |
| HM | Blue Valley NW High School | Howling Husky Highlight | Julia Haney | |
| High School Audio | 1ST | St. James Academy | The Back Counter at St. James Academy | Sophia Steixner |
| 2ND | Scott Community High School | Community Hero Feature Story with Mrs. Christy Briggs | Evanelen Rojas Ornelas | |
| HM | Rock Creek High School | Feature – The Art Gallery with Matt | Matthew Shinaberger | |
Complete Sports Feature |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | St. James Academy | Zacharias interviews Coach Radke | Mary Claire Zacharias |
| 2ND | Scott Community High Schoo | BBN Gives SCHS Students Unique Opportunities on Game Day | Caden Burkhart | |
| HM | St. James Academy | Sept 26, 2025 Football Broadcast Opener | Katelyn Seay | |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Wichita Southeast High School | Band Behind the Scenes | Dan Nguyen |
| 2ND | Blue Valley NW High School | Cross Country Pool Workouts | Claire Blackinton | |
| HM | Maize Career Academy | Micro wrestling provides unique opportunity for unique athletes | Lance Schafer, Mason Bauman, Lauryn O’Brien, Emma Palmer | |
Best Sportscast |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Wichita Southeast High School | Episode 10 Sports 2024-2025 | Sylas Chalfant |
| 2ND | Wichita Southeast High School | Episode 6 Sports 2025-2026 | Adriel Wilson | |
| HM | Blue Valley NW High School | December Husky Sports Network | Jaden Gines | |
| High School Audio | 1ST | St. James Academy | SJA Gameday | Mary Claire Zacharias, Josh Milnes, Zach Wolzen, Salvador Valera |
On Air Personality |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | Hays High School | 2026 Hays High vs Sunrise Christian Pregame Show | Harper Sultzer, Alex Kershner |
| 2ND | Rock Creek High School | Hot Takes with Jackson | Jackson McCann | |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Mill Valley High School | MVTV Episode 2 & October 8th Daily Announcements | Hadley Doyle, Reece Riedel |
| 2ND | Maize Career Academy | Lance Schafer | Lance Schafer | |
| HM | Rock Creek High School | Senior Insight Segment | Jackson McCann , Addi Ebert , Claire Schmike | |
Sports Play by Play |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | St. James Academy | Nov 11, 2025 Football SJA v Mill Valley 4th QRT | Graham Wearner, Salvador Valera, Mary Claire Zacharias |
| 2ND | Hays High School Audio | 2026 Hays High vs Sunrise Christian Play-by-Play | Harper Sultzer, Alex Kershner | |
| HM | Rock Creek High School Audio | Feb. 20, 2026 Girls Basketball Game | Ryder Bunnell | |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Manhattan High School | MHS-Topeka matchup | Lane Lewison, Ayavanth Natarajan, Decker Mosier, Elizabeth Thornley, Lake Rodriguez |
| 2ND | Blue Valley High School | Blue Valley vs Manhattan Boys Basketball | Sam Strouse, TSPN Staff | |
| HM | Lawrence High School | James Gassmann/Torin Yung, LHS vs. Olathe NW Basketball | James Gassmann, Torin Yung | |
Documentary |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Hays High School | The Last Miles North | A Coming of Age | Connor Werth |
| 2ND | Rock Creek High School | Nature – Documentary | Halen Garcia , Abigail Schneider | |
Best Episodic Entertainment Program |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Maize Career Academy | Explorin’ with Emma and Lauryn | Lauren O’Brien, Emma Palmer, Malia Taylor |
| 2ND | Hays High School | JLC Collab w MVTV GBB Coverage | Addi Moeller, Evan LeRoy, Stuart Lovejoy, Elliot Fischer, Josh Garcia, Brandon Neis | |
| HM | Lawrence High School | LHS Winter Court 2026: Court’s Kitchen | Alex Velasco-Crates, Pilar Sphabmixay, Jeffery Clark, Sydney Riner | |
| High School Audio | 1ST | Rock Creek High School | Rate It or Hate It (4 Episodes) | Karson Toburen, Dylan Jones |
Station Website |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Maize Career Academy | maizenews.com | Lance Schafer, Hailey Blurton, Ava Doyle, Isaac Fulks, Lauryn O’Brien, Audrey Leen |
| 2ND | Concordia High School | Cat Scratch Productions Home Page | Eugene Lesslie | |
Best Podcast |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | Scott Community High School | History Is Lit! Podcast – Episode 1, Beowulf | Lila Green |
| 2ND | Scott Community High School | Behind the Scenes of BBN – Episode 1, Scott Holt | Kaleb Beaton | |
| HM | Hays High School | She Said What?! Ep. 1 | Jayleigh Weilert, Amelia Taylor | |
| High School Visual | 1ST | Scott Community High School | Behind the Scenes of BBN – Episode 2, Sara Miles Ratzlaff | Kaleb Beaton |
| 2ND | Mill Valley High School | Seniors Look Forward to Final Yr | Taleen Elkhatib, Evan LeRoy | |
| HM | Maize Career Academy | Elephant in the Room: Episode 1 | Matthew Fairlie, Middy Bowring, Karson Anderson | |
Vertical Video |
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| High School Visual | 1ST | Scott Community High School | Giving Day “Lights Out” Promo | Fredy Frances Aguilar |
| 2ND | Maize Career Academy | MaizeMinute Sports Update | Carter Harper, Titus Dopps | |
| HM | Hays High School | 2025 Bob Kuhn Recap | Parker Linenberger | |
Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter |
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| High School Audio | 1ST | St. James Academy | Mary Claire Zacharias – St. James Academy | Mary Claire Zacharias |
| 2ND | Rock Creek High School | Halftime Sideline Reporting | Lily Wick , Brooklyn Gibbs | |
| Group | Award | Organization | Entry | Credits |
:60 Second or less Commerical: PSA or non-com donor announcement |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Tanners Bar & Grill | Adrian Holguin |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | The Village Geek | Cadence Brier | |
| HM | Fort Hays State University | Area Game of the Week PSA | Eli Blankinship | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Washburn University | Making a Daily Difference | Chase Wareham, Cameron Manthe |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | TMN Area Game of the Week promo | Eli Blankinship | |
| HM | University of Kansas | OK to not be OK | Violet Frick | |
Best Special Programming |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Sunflower Dance Festival: Where Every Step Finds Its Rhythm | Annalise Angell, Derek Foster |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | Nat 1 Edge of Darkness Special | Adolfo Blanco | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Fort Hays State University | Sgt. Scott Heimann Memorial Service | Tiger Media Network |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | MHK All Day Sports Special 2025 | Hannah Whetstone, MacKenzie Weller, Bella Zarate, Jimmy Coffman, Brayden Meseke, Nate Lowen | |
| HM | Kansas State University | Showcase of Excellence: Fashion Studies 2025 | Wildcat Watch Staff | |
Promotional Announcement |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Wildcat 91.9 “Making Parking Problems Better” | Jon Grove, Emily Willi, Dawson Wagner |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | The Evening Drive with Cadence and Delaney | Cadence Brier, Delaney Murphy | |
| HM | Kansas State University | Cat Core Promotion | Brody Zwiebel | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Fort Hays State University | Trailer: The Cost of a Dream | Taylor Thompson, Kyson Evans, Katie Kuhlman |
| 2ND | Pittsburg State University | Pittsburg State Brand Identity Video | Alexandria Acheson | |
| HM | Fort Hays State University | FHSU football vs. UCO Scene-Setter | Kaden Johnson | |
Public Affairs/Talk Show Program |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Wildcats Beyond the Classroom | Adolfo Blanco, Hailey Vardiman, Delaney Murphy |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | Loud Light Fellow Narissa Hampton Talks Politics, Parking, and the Power of Local Elections | Cadence Brier | |
| HM | Kansas State University | Morning Mix Up – Lifestyle tips for the girls | Annalise Angell, Aubrey Weishaar | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Kansas State University | SGA Weekly on Wildcat 91.9 | Jimmy Coffman, Wildcat Watch Staff |
| 2ND | University of Kansas | Crimson Chat | Jaden Huehl | |
| HM | Kansas State University | SGA on Channel 8 News | Hannah Whetstone, Annabella Peterson, Summer Sperke, Sophie Dilley | |
Best Newscast |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | K-State Fires Jerome Tang | Hank Corsair |
| College Visual | 1ST | Kansas State University | Channel 8 News, Spring 2026, February 19 | Hannah Whetstone, Libby Zuck, Meredith MacCalmon, Rebecca Tonkin, Brayden Meseke, Jimmy Coffman |
| 2ND | University of Kansas | Good Morning Indian Country | Jaden Huehl, GMIC News Team | |
| HM | KUJH | KUJH News – February 2026 | Jude Gosse, Alex Moore, KUJH News Team | |
Best General News Story |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | ICE Raids Prompt Outcry in Manhattan | Emma Baldwin |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | City Commission Tax Increase Hearing | Emily Willi | |
| HM | Kansas State University | Aggieville Construction Enters New Phase | Brian Nicholson | |
| College Visual | 1ST | KUJH | Campus Tragedy | Emma Noble |
| 2ND | KUJH | Cultural Burn | Alex Moore | |
| HM | Pittsburg State University | SEK Recycling Center Temporary Shutdown PKG | David Sheets | |
Best Feature |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Future Technology in Farming | Adolfo Blanco |
| 2ND | Butler Comm College | Band Mini-Features | Cole Wert | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Kansas State University | The Scoop on Frog Wizard Fest | Lauren Betts |
| 2ND | University of Kansas | Metallica Fans | Kara Lyons | |
| HM | KUJH | KU Operations Team | Emma Noble | |
Complete Sports Feature |
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| College Visual | 1ST | University of Kansas | MLB Off-Season | Eli Greenwald, Charlie Marshall |
| 2ND | University of Kansas | Jaliya Davis | Kara Lyons | |
| HM | Pittsburg State University | PSU Men’s Basketball Season Preview PKG | Titus Conrad | |
| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Leveling up K-State’s Esports | Adolfo Blanco |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | FHSU vs. KU recap | Eli Blankinship | |
| HM | Baker University | Superbowl LX preview | Ethan Koehn, Andrew Ryan, J.J. Dos Santos | |
Best Sportscast |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Enemy Insight – KSU vs UND | Hank Corsair |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | KSU Embarrassed by Cincinnati | Jimmy Coffman, Adrian Holguin | |
| College Visual | 1ST | University of Kansas | Run it Back |
Annika Gustafson, Ben Vaskov, Grant Schere, and Emmett Swendseid |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | TMN Area Game of the Week Preview Show: Week 9 | Eli Blankinship | |
| HM | Kansas State University | Hannah Whetstone on Channel 8 News | Hannah Whetstone, Adrian Holguin, Kyra Case | |
On Air Personality |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Pittsburg State University | DJ Brown Demo Aircheck | DJ Brown |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | Adrian Holguin On-Air Personality | Adrian Holguin | |
| HM | Kansas State University | The Nate Lowen | Nate Lowen | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Kansas State University | Hannah Whetstone On Air Personality | Hannah Whetstone |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | Sophie Smith, Kansas State University | Sophie Smith | |
| HM | University of Kansas | Emily Sutter | Emily Sutter | |
Sports Play by Play |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | UND vs KSU Football | Adam Donner |
| 2ND | University of Kansas | KU Baseball | Gabriel Stigers | |
| HM | KJHK | Sam Johnson Houston Vs. Kansas | Sam Johnson | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Pittsburg State University | Play-by-Play | Drake Miller |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | Garrett Wellbrock Play-by-Play | Garrett Wellbrock | |
| HM | Pittsburg State University | UCM vs Minnesota St. Mankato Men’s Basketball Play by Play | Brayton Lind | |
Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Fort Hays State University | Eli Blankinship Color Commentary | Eli Blankinship |
| 2ND | Pittsburg State University | Sports Color Commentary (Pittsburg State vs Arkansas Fort-Smith) | Zack Farabough | |
| HM | Fort Hays State University | Connor Adams color commentary | Connor Adams | |
Documentary |
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| College Visual | 1ST | Fort Hays State University | The Cost of a Dream | Taylor Thompson, Kyson Evans, Katie Kuhlman |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | Bethesda: Beyond the Label | Daniel Little | |
| HM | Pittsburg State University | Preserving The Big Train: A Family’s Gift to Humboldt | Aaron Thompson | |
Best Episodic Entertainment Program |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Nat 1 Podcat – The Last Words and Confession of Rupert Merriweather | Adolfo Blanco |
| College Visual | 1ST | Kansas State University | Studio Sessions at Wildcat 91.9 | Ella Murray, Emily Willi |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | KS Now | Peter Wallace, Jacob Underwood | |
| HM | Baker Unversity | The Tea with Gavin Curless | Meg Qualls | |
Station Website |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | Wildcat 91.9 Website | Brody Zwiebel |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | Tiger Media Network | Tiger Media Network | |
| HM | KJHK | KJHK.org | Jackson Tabel | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Baker Unversity | The Baker Orange | The Baker Orange Staff |
| 2ND | Fort Hays State University | Tiger Media Network | Tiger Media Network | |
| HM | Kansas State University | Wildcat 91.9 | Brody Zweibel, Emily Willi, Aubrey Hopper, Adolfo Blanco, Ashton Todd | |
Best Podcast |
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| College Audio | 1ST | Kansas State University | The Heat Check | Adam Donner |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | Nat 1 Podcat – End of the Road | Adolfo Blanco | |
| HM | Fort Hays State University | TMN Sports Podcast | Mayan Paz | |
| College Visual | 1ST | Kansas State University | Cats + with Hannah Whetstone | Hannah Whetstone |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | Off the Record with Emma Wiley | Emma Wiley | |
| HM | Kansas State University | The Green Room Interviews | Ella Murray, Derek Foster, Emily WIlli, Ashton Todd | |
Vertical Video |
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| College Visual | 1ST | Butler Comm College | Surviving West Hall | Evan Sinclair |
| 2ND | Kansas State University | K-State Football | Milana Rowe | |