Last Updated on November 24, 2025
As the final pages of 2025 turn, the Listenwise team is taking a moment to celebrate the best of the best! Introducing the Listenwise Staff Picks of 2025!
We believe deeply in the power of storytelling and the transformative potential of audio learning. This year was filled with unforgettable narratives, and our staff has curated the lessons that truly captured our attention. Covering everything from essential social-emotional themes to captivating sports moments and crucial world history, these Listenwise Staff Picks 2025 are the stories that defined our year.
Let’s revisit the lessons that have captured our hearts and minds as 2025 comes to a close!
Listenwise Staff Picks 2025
Matt Pini, Director of Account Management: Being Comfortable with Feeling Uncomfortable
The concept of “leaving your comfort zone” is a funny thing these days. Advancements in technology have made broadening one’s horizons as attainable as ever, and yet, at the same time, have made it easier than ever to retreat into the familiar and not challenge oneself. The truth, though, is that real growth requires stepping out of your comfort zone and putting yourself into situations where you are challenged.
As humans, we may not feel the same physical pressures to shed our protective shell as lobsters do, but our need to give ourselves the space to grow remains the same. And the only way to do that is to recognize when it’s time to step out of our comfort zone, and to feel secure in knowing any discomfort we’re feeling is the first step towards a brighter future.
Lisa Li, COO: Learning Mandarin Chinese to Dream Big
My family immigrated to the us from China when I was very little. But I hated going to Chinese school. There was so much extra homework and it was on Sundays, and I ultimately didn’t learn Chinese well. My parents told me that I would regret it, and they were right! Now, as an adult, I fit in Chinese study when I can. It’s really inspiring and gives me hope about the world to hear about these kids that are so excited about learning Chinese.
Also, I clearly need to level up!
Eva Vieyra Osmand, Director of Marketing: Family Shares Experience of Fleeing Wildfires
It’s been almost a year since fires ravaged my native Los Angeles, and it feels like it was very long ago and also just yesterday. Everyone in LA was affected by the fires, and it seems like everybody knows at least one person who lost their home. I appreciate how this story shares the first-hand experiences of a family that survived the fires and lost so much. The pain and shock feel so raw and resonant. It’s hard to listen to at times because it reminds me of how much people lost, but it also reminds me of the best parts of my community coming together to help each other in the face of such tragedy.
Vicki Krupp, Content Development Manager: A Soldier and Her Sister
Most stories on Listenwise are produced by professionals, but I especially love the podcast stories we publish made by young people. These “podcast challenge” winning stories highlight the perspectives of middle school, high school, and college students as they report on everything from friendship to cultural identity to thoughts about their school’s maintenance crew. One of my favorites is “A Soldier and Her Sister,” a reflection by a college student on her younger sister’s journey to becoming a soldier. The podcast captures the stresses of separation and the way one sister’s actions impact the whole family. I can hear the range of emotion in the podcaster’s voice as her sister confronts challenges and, eventually, graduates. This small personal story seems to tell a larger story about the impact of war on families and the humanity of those who defend our country.
Muhammed Yoruk, Account Manager: Homeless in Middle School
This story resonated deeply with me because, during my time in the classroom, I saw how housing instability and family hardship quietly shape students’ daily lives. Like Caiden, many of my students carried adult responsibilities before the school day even began. They battled anxiety, exhaustion, and shame — and still showed up. What struck me then, and again in this story, is how easily these realities go unseen; kids often mask their circumstances with humor or quiet resilience, while their academic performance suffers simply because they’re focused on survival.
Caiden’s experience reminds us that homelessness isn’t a data point — it affects a student’s safety, belonging, and sense of self. It’s a call for us as educators to lead with empathy, create responsive classrooms, and remember that meaningful learning is only possible when a child’s basic and emotional needs are met.
Erica Petersen, Director of Customer Success: Why Green Means Go
Why Green Means Go is a fun lesson explaining the origins of why green is the universal color for “go.“ It turns a simple question about any everyday object into a discussion about history, science, and culture. As a history fan, I love learning about why things evolve and become what they are today, and how everything in the present is connected to the past. This story sparked my curiosity about other everyday objects and their origin stories!
