Special to the Reporter
The student broadcasters at Mercer Island High School’s radio station, KMIH 889 The Bridge, earned top honors at the annual John Drury Broadcasting Awards in Chicago. The national competition recognizes the best media programming from high school radio stations across the country.
Senior Sophie Prock led the way with a first-place win in the Public Affairs Programming category for her interviews with Mercer Island City Council candidates. The interviews were a collaboration between KMIH and the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce and aired last fall in the weeks leading up to the Island’s elections.
Prock’s ability to tackle big issues and ask tough questions led to the award. “It was wonderful to be able to sit down with such prominent members of our community. I feel so lucky that I was able to interview our city council members and be recognized nationally for it,” she said.
A total of 18 KMIH student staff members claimed awards, including several second- and third-place honors for sports programming, website design, public service announcements and news coverage. KMIH broadcasters were also recognized for outstanding work in the news feature, music show, radio drama and social media categories.
KMIH general manager and broadcast teacher Joe Bryant says earning awards in so many categories highlights the talents and wide-ranging programming featured on KMIH.
“I’m proud of our students for using their voice and platform to inform and entertain the Mercer Island community. Being nationally recognized for their accomplishments in broadcasting and audio art by the John Drury folks in Chicago is so well deserved,” he said. “And to have Sophie’s interviews with the city council candidates win top honors is very special as the project was a partnership developed by our community outreach coordinator Natalie Woods and an excellent example of how broadcasting student voices can connect and engage our awesome school and community.”
People can tune in at 88.9 FM, online at KMIH.org, or by downloading the KMIH App for 24-hour streaming from anywhere in the world.
2022 John Drury High School Radio Awards
1st Place Best Public Affairs Program – Sophie Prock – City Council Candidate Interviews
2nd Place Best Sports Talk Program – Power Predictions – Gill MacDonald, Dylan Shobe, Noah Perlman
2nd Place Best Sportscast – Sophia Azzano
2nd Place Best Website – Andrew Howison, Sophie Cartwright and Staff
3rd Place Best PSA – Sophie Cartwright – Self Appreciation
3rd Place Best News Feature – Grace Go – War in Ukraine Affects Local Student
Finalist Broadcaster of the Year – Sophia Azzano
Finalist Best Radio Station Adviser – Joe Bryant
4th Place Best Specialty Music Show – Behind the Billboard – Sophia Azzano, Theodore Freeman and Jonathan Aggar
4th Place Best Radio Drama – The House in Cypress Canyon – Sadie Jensen, Annabelle Hegarty, Jonathan Aggar, Jenna Martin, Sophia Azzano, Theodore Freeman, Caroline Capuano
4th Place Best Use of Social Media – The Secret Room Above our Auditorium – Jonathan Aggar, Sidh Shroff
5th Place Best Newcast – Yasmine Mohammad
