2026 CEC Student Film Fest Winners Announced

Natalie Yue of San Carlos, an eighth grader at Castelleja School in Palo Alto, took home first place in the Middle School Division and the Best in Fest award for her film “Behind the Slopes: The Hidden Costs of Ski Resorts” at the 9th Annual CEC Student Film Fest, which was held at the Burlingame High School Theater on April 14. The film festival was a co-production of the Citizens Environmental Council, the Burlingame High School Environmental Club and the Social Impact Filmmaking Club at The Nueva School.

Natalie received the award from Kristin Tieche, a professional filmmaker and film educator who was invited to judge the competition. She praised Behind the Slopes: The Hidden Costs of Ski Resorts’ research, original footage and editing to spotlight the environmental impact of ski resorts.

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Reyansh Manuja, a 4th grader at Audubon Elementary School in Foster City won the Best Elementary Division for his film “Why Clean Transportation Matters”. Hannah Osinski and Maya Osinski, a junior and freshman, respectively, at Burlingame High School, won the Best High School Division for “Changing the Cycle: Sustainable Period Solutions."

The evening also featured an original spoken word performance by Dave Emanuel, who is a social science teacher at Hillsdale High School and serves on the San Mateo Union High School District Sustainability Committee.

Students in grades 4 through 12 who live or attend school in San Mateo County were invited to enter environmental videos of up to five minutes in length in the contest. With financial support from the Town of Hillsborough, CEC awarded cash prizes of $250 to the elementary school winner, $250 to the middle school winner, $250 to the high school winner and $250 for the “Best in Fest” winner.

San Mateo County Supervisor Noelia Corzo, who was a guest speaker at the event, praised the students for their hard work and encouraged them to continue advocating for the environment.