PSEG Long Island has announced the winners of its sixth annual I Am EM-Powered Energy Conservation video public service announcement (PSA) contest. This year, the top 10 award-winning videos were created by 26 fourth– to eighth-grade students from Copiague, Jericho, Lynbrook, Mineola, Oyster Bay-East Norwich, Sayville, Westbury and West Islip school districts.
More than 3,300 students in 42 schools across Long Island and the Rockaways engaged in PSEG Long Island’s I Am EM-Powered eco-friendly coursework this year. The lessons provide instruction about conserving energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and the benefits of renewable energy options. They also included guidelines on how to create a video PSA. PSEG Long Island provides the I Am EM-Powered program free of charge for teachers and students.
The students developed ideas and, in teams of one to four, created 45-second PSA videos putting the newly learned concepts into action. Teachers were able to submit their three favorite videos, which this year were 244 PSAs submitted for judging. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony and reception on June 3 at Farmingdale State College, where many of the nearly 100 student finalists, along with participating teachers and school administrators, attended with their families. Nearly 300 people were on hand to honor the young environmentalists and view the top 10 videos. Farmingdale State College president Dr. Robert Prezant welcomed the students and congratulated them on their work.
Members of each of the top 10 student teams earned $75 gift cards, certificates and a class party in their honor. Their teachers received $100 gift cards and an additional $100 to throw the victory party.
The winning students are as follows:
- Ayan Ahuja and Eli Batshpis from Toni-Marie Uckar’s fifth-grade class at Jeffrey Ratner Rober Seaman Elementary School in Jericho
- Dylan Cardenas-Lucero and Jack Pike from Jaymee Gagliardi’s sixth-grade class at Udall Road Middle School in West Islip
- Emily Vargas and Victoria Veronica from Daniel Leccese’s eighth-grade class at Copiague Middle School
- Garbriella Duffy, Leo Johnson, Luke Maier and Emily Milanese from Melinda Moran’s fifth-grade class at Cherry Avenue Elementary School in Sayville
- Grecia Burgos Garcia, Alains Batista, Ava Spaulding and Za’Khy Wilkins-Hunter from Lisa Monzillo’s fourth-grade class at Powells Lane Elementary School in Westbury
- Gwendolyn Dieckmann, Samatha Perone and Laila Southard from Jaymee Gagliardi’s sixth-grade class at Udall Road Middle School in West Islip
- Henry Gandolfo from Diana Hauser’s fifth-grade class and Michael Capace from Fank Sommo’s fifth-grade class at James H. Vernon School in Oyster Bay
- Simon Barbash, Harrison Levy, Banjamin Simeus and Andreas Zea from Corinne Teichman’s fifth-grade class at West End Elementary School in Lynbrook
- Victoria Holguin, Madelyn Jeremenko and Cora Murray from Peter Carlson’s sixth-grade class at Mineola Middle School
Finalist videos, the top 32 PSAs, were created by students from Comsewogue, Copiague, East Meadow, Half Hollow Hills, Jericho, Lynbrook, Mineola, Oyster Bay-East Norwich, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Sachem, Sayville, Smithtown, Westbury and West Islip school districts.
Every finalist received a certificate for being a finalist in the competition.
“PSEG Long Island’s I Am EM-Powered program’s focus on reducing our energy consumption helps us manage the power grid, protects the environment and saves our customers millions of dollars each year,” said event co-host Michael Voltz, PSEG Long Island’s director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “Your ideas to preserve our planet by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and touting the use of renewable energy options like driving electric vehicles, shutting off lights when you’re not using them, and considering solar energy are all part of making the world a better place.”
“What a fun way to celebrate these bright students and shine a spotlight on the entertaining and informative videos they created to educate the public about energy conservation,” said PSEG Long Island’s Director of Customer Experience and Marketing Michael Presti, who also co-hosted the event. “Being involved in the communities we serve is core to our mission, and we are thrilled to support schools and teachers on Long Island and the Rockaways with this free program. We are even more excited to give out prizes to winners for their excellent work.”