Kessler Dickerson & Charlotte Ligon from Millbrook Magnet High School in Raleigh, North Carolina won 1st Prize in the High School Eastern Division of the 2026 C-SPAN StudentCam documentary competition for their video titled, “Roots of Freedom: The Struggles and Tensions of Rural American Agriculture.” As 1st Prize winners, the duo will share $3,000 in prize money.
StudentCam is C-SPAN’s annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think critically about issues that affect our communities and our nation. 2026 marked the 22nd year of the competition and in this semiquincentennial year celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we asked students in grades 6-12 to create a short (5:00-6:00 minute) video documentary on either a historical or contemporary topic that related to the competition theme, “America’s 250th Anniversary”
Exploring the American Story through the Declaration of Independence.
C-SPAN is funded by America’s cable, satellite television and streaming companies, who also support StudentCam. In Raleigh, C-SPAN is available locally through Spectrum.
Press:
- Press Release: Triangle Area Students Win Prizes in C-SPAN’s National Documentary Competition (Google Doc)
StudentCam 2026 1st Prize: "Roots of Freedom: The Struggles and Tensions of Rural American Agriculture"
Congratulatory Messages and Recognition
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein
Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell
WCPSS Superintendent Dr. Robert P. Taylor
North Carolina State Senator Terence Everitt
North Carolina State Representative Tim Longest
North Carolina State Agriculture Education Leader and State FFA Advisor Joshua Bledsoe
National FFA Advisor Dr. Travis Park
