MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The 25th Annual Marion County Student Media Festival is set for this Friday, April 10, 2026, to award local students for outstanding work in the fields of audio and video production.
The silver anniversary awards ceremony takes place in the Browne Greaton Cole Auditorium on the MCPS campus located at 1614 E. Fort King St. in Ocala. The 7 p.m. event is free and open to the public.
This year’s festival also airs live on the Marion County Public Schools YouTube channel.
The festival, underwritten with community donations and organized by local educators, showcases the outstanding work created by audio/video production students at all grade levels. Long-time returning sponsors include the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute and the Public Education Foundation of Marion County.
This year, students submitted 220 entries from 18 different schools. In March, nearly three dozen industry experts judged the online entries in 12 categories and four age groups.
Kathy (Dugan) Adkins returns as this year’s host. She is a donor relations specialist for the CF Foundation at the College of Central Florida. A mainstay in local radio for years, Adkins was also part of the inaugural “Tiger Vision” at Dunnellon High School, her alma mater. Adkins previously hosted two years ago.
At the festival, Adkins will introduce community leaders and district administrators who will present certificates and awards to winning students, along with four “Best of Show” prizes for grade levels K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Best of Show honors include trophies, bragging rights and cash prizes for schools.
To mark the festival’s 25th anniversary, guest presenters will include several previous Festival winners–and MCPS graduates–who are furthering their educations and careers in communication-related industries.
Two additional honors will be announced including the THEME Award, short for the Teri Hartley Effort in Media Education Award, celebrating a festival founder who devoted countless hours to recognize students for their work. She passed away from cancer in 2013. The THEME Award spotlights the amazing ability of students in an entry falling just short of “Best of Show” honors.
The Joel Hartley Achievement in Cinematography Award will be given to one middle/high school entry demonstrating a relentless pursuit of excellence in audio/video production. It is named for Joel Hartley, a district photojournalist/videographer for 18 years whose passion for audio/video direction contributed to the festival’s ongoing success. He passed away from COVID-19 in 2021.
New this year, the MacWhitty Award honors long-time festival supporters Robin MacBlane and Larry Whitler. Known for their infectious laughter and decades-long radio careers in Ocala, MacBlane and Whitler were mainstays of the festival since its second year. Last summer, a drunk driver tragically killed them both. This award will spotlight one elementary entry for its focus on joy and laughter.