Over the weekend of March 7-8, 14 Mercer Island High School Radio students traveled to New York City to participate in the 2025 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) and multiple MI students won respected awards in varying categories. MIHS was well-represented and the esteemed KMIH radio station, the students and staff that run it continued to excel in all aspects.
IBS is an organization that supports high school media outlets, holding an annual conference that gives awards in multiple categories, holds speakers for students, and hosts an experience that helps encourage and uplift student media creativity.
MIHS students and staff won 12 separate awards:
Best Celebrity Interview – Chloe Yang (“Garden Guru Cisco Morris”)
Best Public Affairs Program – Sam Paddor, Joe Schleifer, Chase Koehler (“Oct. 7 Remembrance”)
Best Sports Play-by-Play – Maggie Blohm & Max Pelter
Best Sports Play-by-Play – Maggie Gibson, Samantha Back & Willa Shopay
Best Sports Interview – Hadley Holtzclaw (Volleyball senior night)
Best Campus/Community News – Chloe Yang (“MI Phone-Free Schools”)
Best Podcast – Sam Paddor (“Singing Songs and Carrying Signs”)
Best Website – Sophia Loiselle
Best High School Radio Station – KMIH 88.9 The Bridge
Best Radio Faculty Advisor – Joe Bryant & Natalie Woods
Best Radio Faculty Advisor – Joe Bryant & Natalie Woods
Best Video Faculty Advisor – Michael Ketchum
Although not everyone that traveled won an award, the students still had a unique experience in New York City and at the IBS conference.
“The conference was super fun. It was nice to see other high school radio stations and hear about the work they are doing. Although I lost my individual award, we won Best High School Radio Station, which is the best award that we could have won and we all took photos with our trophies after and had a celebratory dinner,” senior Anna Carson said.
And for those who did win, the awards helped boost their confidence and helped push them along in their radio career.
“I’m really happy about winning the award because it helped validate all of the effort I put into both of my submissions. It really helps to show me that maybe I do know what I’m talking about when it comes to music.” Best Public Affairs Program winner Sam Paddor said.
For some, being able to travel to New York was celebratory enough. Although the conference was the main reason why MIHS students went, that didn’t stop them from enjoying the allure of the city and exploring multiple different areas.
“It was super cool to be in NYC with our radio station. For a lot of students, it was their first time in the city. I love that radio gives students a chance to see a new place, such as NYC. Natalie Woods and Michael Ketchum did a great job planning a fun agenda for the weekend, including seeing the 9/11 Memorial, visiting the Edge, walking around Time Square, and much more,” Carson said.
Congratulations to everyone who won awards and to radio: keep up the great work!
