2026 3rd Prize High School Eastern Division – “The Uncounted Voice: Youth, Democracy, & the Ballot Box” by Salem Safadi, Samuel Evans, & Sergio Ortiz Lugo

Salem Safadi, Samuel Evans, & Sergio Ortiz Lugo from Wake Stem Early College High School in Cary, North Carolina won 3rd Prize in the High School Eastern Division of the 2026 C-SPAN StudentCam documentary competition for their video titled, “The Uncounted Voice: Youth, Democracy, & the Ballot Box.” 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 Cary, C-SPAN is available locally through Spectrum.

Press:

• Press Release: Triangle Area Students Win Prizes in C-SPAN’s National Documentary Competition (Google Doc)