Baldwin Students Win First Place Prize at BASH Awards

Baldwin High School students Jonnae Greene and Fahiem Jenkins of YCLC Studios earned first place in the “Best Sports Feature – Showcase Division category” at the 2026 Broadcast Alliance for Senior High (BASH) Awards, held at Hofstra University.

The BASH Awards (Broadcast Alliance for Senior High) were founded in 2017 by the Southold School District to recognize the emerging field of school news broadcasts and digital storytelling. The event was modeled after similar awards programs for school newspapers. Since its inaugural event in Eastern Suffolk with just 9 participating schools and 150 students, the event has grown significantly, now involving nearly 1,000 students from more than 60 schools across Long Island and New York City.

Jonnae and Fahiem received the top honor for their sports feature package, The Powerhouse Project, about the grit and determination behind the Boys Varsity Football team. The project demonstrated the storytelling, reporting and production skills developed through the district’s media curriculum and New Media Academy.

YCLC (Youth Change Leaders Collaborative) Studios provides Baldwin High School students with hands-on experience in all aspects of broadcast production, from reporting and filming to editing and multimedia storytelling. Students create professional-quality content while developing real-world skills that prepare them for future studies and careers in media and communications.

“I am incredibly proud of our students and production team for achieving this first-place honor, which reflects their talent, dedication and commitment to excellence in sports storytelling,” shared Dr. Gabriella Franza, assistant director of instructional programs for the Baldwin Union Free School District.

Beyond the awards competition, the students also attended educational breakout sessions presented by industry professionals, Hofstra University faculty members, and student broadcasters from participating schools. 

Overall, the annual competition proved to be an impactful Leaving2Learn for Baldwin’s Academy students and another invaluable School2Career educational experience.