These California students found lessons of hope in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire

By Student Podcast Challenge

Published January 5, 2026 at 4:05 PM EST

One year after the Los Angeles wildfires, a group of California elementary schoolers document the impact — including the hope, kindness and community that rose from the ashes.

This is an excerpt from "Rising From The Ashes: Southern California's Wildfires" by students of MagTV at Magnolia Elementary School in Carlsbad, Calif.. Their story was a finalist in the 2025 NPR Student Podcast Challenge.

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Student Podcast Challenge

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