When Minette Olvera and Jenna Roeber were looking for a way to button up their first-ever podcast – a fact-based yet personal exploration of mental health – they had been interviewing their school counselor, Lynsey Bell. The pair asked her, “What is your favorite quote?”
“The quote was actually hanging on Mrs. Bell’s wall,” recalled Roeber.
“She told her how much she loved it,” added Olvera. “So, we knew that we had to add that to our ending.”
The quote, attributed to 20th century writer Vivien Greene, reads: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Thousands of middle school, high school and college students submitted original podcasts to NPR in 2025, representing a wide array of topics and a richly diverse group of entrants. Olvera and Roeber’s production was Idaho’s only entry.
“I was so impressed because they began this last year as sixth graders. They were super professional and mature about their topic,” said Bell, counselor for the Basin School District in Idaho City. “Now, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know them better this year. They’re just phenomenal.”
Olvera and Roeber joined their school counselor Mrs. Bell in a visit with Morning Edition host George Prentice to talk about their impressive achievement.
Here’s how you can participate in the 2026 NPR Student Podcast Challenge.
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
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