26 Apr Make it Heard 2025 in Halkidiki – A Two-Day Celebration with Awards that… Resounded Loud and Clear!
The 9th Student Radio Festival concluded on Saturday, April 12, 2025, following an explosive four-day event of creativity and collaboration in Halkidiki.
At the heart of the festival was the Student Podcast and Song Contest “Make it Heard 2025”, featuring 402 entries from across Greece and abroad — 204 podcasts and 198 songs — in an event that surpassed all previous records.
As part of the festival, two Award Ceremonies were held: the Podcast Awards on Friday, April 11, and the Song Awards on Saturday, April 12, both hosted at the Olympic Hall of the Porto Carras Grand Resort, with a large audience attending both in-person and online via live streaming through the European School Radio YouTube channel.
The Contest was successfully organized for the 11th consecutive year, co-organized by the Scientific Society “European School Radio – The First Student Radio,” the Educational Radio Television of the Greek Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus’ Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center Creative Greece, and the Organisation for Collective Management GRAMMO ERATO APOLLON.
Friday, April 11 – “Radio & Podcast Awards” Ceremony
The first evening opened theatrically with a performance of “The Idiots” by Neil Simon, adapted by the Children’s Theater Group of the “Proikonisos” Association.
Following the performance, greetings were delivered by representatives of the festival’s co-organizers.
Finally, Eftychia Touliou, President of the European School Radio Scientific Society, emphasized the growth and steadfast mission of the competition.
The Student Radio Festival continues to serve as a point of meeting and inspiration for students, teachers, and creators.
The Podcast Awards Ceremony was hosted by Myrto Choraiti Sideri and Stefanos Iliadis, bringing fresh and youthful energy to the evening.
Part A – Special Commendations & Honorary Mention
Special Commendations were awarded to:
- Tragaia High School of Naxos – Continuous Participation
- Kalohori High School of Thessaloniki – Multifaceted Radio Creativity
- Neos Marmaras High School – Dedication and Creativity
- 2nd High School of Efkarpia – Multi-themed Podcast Series
- 5th Primary School of Gerakas – Most Consistent Podcast Series
- Omorfokhori Primary School of Larissa – Original and Popular Podcast Series
- Dimitris Gkatsos – Radio Engagement
- Music School of Veria – Long-Term Contribution and Action
Furthermore, the European teams of the Kids Radio Europe program (France, Germany, Greece) were honored as “Youth Radio Pioneers”.
An Honorary Mention was awarded to journalist Mr. Vasileios Soliopoulos for his significant contribution to student radio.
More information: https://community.europeanschoolradio.eu/archives/8974
Part B – “Make it Heard 2025” Podcast Awards
Audience Award
“Emotion Express: The Journey Begins!” by 8th Primary School of Neapoli (909 votes)
Category Winners
- Special Schools
1st prize Unified Special Vocational High School of Ptolemaida – “The World Under the Same Umbrella”
2nd prize Unified Special Vocational High School of Katerini – “The Power of Will”
- Kindergartens – 1st & 2nd Grade Primary
1st prize 6th Primary School of Agios Dimitrios – “Our Emotions Speak”
2nd prize 2nd Kindergarten of Kavalari – “The True Treasure Hunt”
3rd prize 2nd Primary School of Skydra – “Save the Atoll”
- 3rd–6th Grade Primary
1st prize G’ Zoi Private Schools – “The Journey of Little Amal”
2nd prize Prophet Elias Primary School – “The Light Hidden Within Us”
3rd prize 32nd Primary School of Piraeus – “Voices of the World: When Children Speak, the World Listens”
- Junior High Schools
1st prize Modern Educational Institutions Kotronis – “The Journey of Change Begins!”
2nd prize Aglantzia High School (Cyprus) – “What Language Does Gen Z Speak?”
3rd prize 2nd Junior High School of Kilkis – “Brain Rot or Not? Something’s Burning…”
- Senior High Schools
1st prize Ionidios School of Piraeus – “The Clock of the World Strikes Midnight”
2nd prize 3rd High School of Kavala – “Noisy Silence”
3rd prize Agios Charalambos High School and TESEK (Cyprus)– “Tailored Feelings”
Part C – 9th Festival Mixed Podcast Team Awards
- Best Sound Design – RnB Team for “Formula 1 Senna”
- Best Presentation – Alternative Bites Team for “Alternative Bites”
- Best Content – Indie Team for “Indie God”
- Best Topic Approach – K-Pop Corn Team for “8th Entertainment Break”
- Best Promotion – Reggae Mareggaes Team for “Reggae Mareggaes”
More information: https://fest.europeanschoolradio.eu/fest-podcasts/
Saturday, April 12 – Song Awards Ceremony
The evening opened with greetings from representatives of the Municipality of Sithonia, GEA GRAMMO ERATO APOLLON, and the Consulate of Cyprus.
The ceremony was hosted by last year’s winners Eleanna Paschou and Kyriaki Konstantinou, who energized the audience with their live performances.
Audience Award
“A Brand New Tomorrow” by 16th Experimental Primary School of Lamia (1,718 votes)
Category Winners
- Special Schools
1st prize Special Vocational Training Workshops of Rhodes – “Speak”
2nd prize Unified Special Vocational High School of Rhodes – “It’s Different…”
- Kindergartens – 1st & 2nd Grade Primary
1st prize 49th Primary School of Patras – “The Child Wants Peace!”
2nd prize Arsakeio Psychiko Private Kindergarten – “White Canvas”
3rd prize Private Kindergarten – Center for Hellenic Education – “We Change Course”
- 3rd–6th Grade Primary
1st prize 162nd Primary School of Athens – “Remove Violence from Your Mind”
2nd prize 7th Primary School of Neapoli – “The Power Within Me”
3rd prize Akakio Primary School (Cyprus) – “Little Andreas of Cyprus”
- Junior High Schools
1st prize 12th Junior High School of Athens – “The Unknown X”
2nd prize 1st Model Junior High School of Thessaloniki – “When Night Falls”
3rd prize 2nd Junior High School of Heraklion – “School”
- Senior High Schools
1st prize Music School of Patras – “Someone Else”
2nd prize Lagadas High School – “Parallel Worlds”
3rd prize Music School of Amfissa – “The Things I Didn’t Dare to Say”
The top three prizes in the High School category will receive sponsorship from GEA for the professional production of their songs.
More information: https://contest.europeanschoolradio.eu/en/geasponsorship2025/
The student contest”Make It Heard” once again demonstrated its power to bring together children, teenagers, educators, music artists, professionals, and academics from the fields of radio and podcasting, highlighting that activities promoting expression through creativity and imagination — through speech and music — can offer multiple educational benefits to the school community.