Celebrating Students
One dedicated student will tell their story in Reader’s Digest, take home $20,000, and tour the Planetary Society with Bill Nye The Science Guy.
DOLLARS RAISED IN 2026
$2,437,416
Benefiting
Empowering Exploration, Igniting Curiosity
Through the America’s Favorite Student competition, Colossal is proud to support The Planetary Society, the world’s largest nonprofit space organization. With a mission to empower global citizens to explore new worlds and seek answers to life’s greatest questions, their work reflects the same dedication to discovery and wonder that educators instill in their students every day.
Just finishing the 6th grade, Andrew is a straight-A student from Tennessee who loves science, music, and learning. A spelling bee champion, trumpet player, and aspiring chemical engineer, he’s the student his classmates, teachers, and family can always count on.
2026 Champion
Through his work in science communication and advocacy, Bill Nye encourages young learners to explore big ideas and help shape a smarter, brighter future. America's Favorite Student will get an exclusive meet-and-greet with him.
Bill Nye Inspires
America’s Favorite Student will share their educational journey in the pages of Reader’s Digest, highlighting the power of learning and inspiring readers nationwide. This iconic publication celebrates extraordinary lives through stories of faith, heroism, and humor.
Honor Roll
-
Ava
Ava turned her dyslexia and dysgraphia into a powerful passion for STEAM, helping provide more than 30,000 families with free resources and products. She loves encouraging students facing academic challenges and believes science, math, and reading open the door to limitless possibilities.
-
Sanskrit
Sanskrit is a Boy Scout and Science Olympiad leader whose curiosity drives him to explore physics, aviation, and aerospace. Known for being trustworthy, helpful, and courteous, he loves solving challenging problems and experimenting to better understand how the world works.