HelloNation Awards $23,500 to Student Filmmakers

Biko Sheridan of Washington, D.C., secured first place for his production, "D.C.'s Field of Dreams." The second and third-place honors went to Audrey Chang from Chatsworth, California, for "Freedom to Belong" and Luke Schmucker from Panhandle, Texas, for "Pride of Panhandle – Home of Champions." Beyond the national podium, judges awarded Technical Achievement honors to twelve regional finalists representing areas from Hawaii to New England.

Dave Evers, Director of Digital Content at HelloNation, noted that the caliber of the 100 submitted entries surpassed expectations. The contest serves as an inaugural initiative for the platform, which plans to scale the program in future cycles to further highlight local narratives. A complete list of the winning projects, featuring creators from states including Florida, Minnesota, and Arizona, is available on the official competition website.