HARTFORD/NEWINGTON, CT — A Hartford teen attending Newington High School was recognized as one of the state's top young environmental advocates after earning an award in the 21st Annual eesmarts Student Contest.
David Veliz, a student at NHS who also lives in Hartford, won second place in the persuasive image division of the contest's grades 9-12 category, according to organizers.
The annual contest, presented by Energize Connecticut in partnership with Eversource and Avangrid subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, encourages Connecticut students to create projects focused on sustainability, energy efficiency, and clean and renewable energy.
Veliz earned the award for his 12-frame comic strip, "From Paradise to Cemetery," which examines the impact of plastic pollution on oceans and marine ecosystems.
The comic begins in 1950 with clean ocean waters providing abundant algae for sea turtles.
As the story progresses, plastic waste and trash increasingly fill the ocean, making it difficult for turtles to find food.
The project concludes with a call for readers to recycle and help clean up pollution before further environmental damage occurs.
More than 380 students from across Connecticut submitted projects for this year's contest.
Organizers selected 35 finalists representing 21 schools in 23 communities statewide.
Students could choose from a variety of project formats based on grade level, including poems, essays, posters, billboard advertisements, comic strips, social media posts and original superhero characters focused on energy conservation and environmental awareness.
Finalists were honored during an awards ceremony on May 12 at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, where they received prizes and certificates recognizing their achievements.
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