2026 3rd Prize High School Central Division – “The Cost of Independence: Family Farms” by Danica Pestorious, Michaela Hanson, & Brielle Bakken

Danica Pestorious, Michaela Hanson, & Brielle Bakken from Albert Lea High School in Minnesota won 3rd Prize in the High School Central Division of the 2026 C-SPAN StudentCam documentary competition for their video titled, “The Cost of Independence: Family Farms.” As 3rd Prize winners, the team will share $750 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 Albert Lea, C-SPAN is available locally through Spectrum.

Press:

• Press Release: Albert Lea Students Win Prize in C-SPAN’s National Documentary Competition (Google Doc)
  
  
• Article: Albert Lea students win national prizes for documentaries on farms, free speech (KIMT 3)
  
  
• Article: Albert Lea students honored in C-SPAN documentary competition (ABC 6 News)