Press Release
Students from East Meadow, Hauppauge, Lynbrook, Mineola, Oyster Bay-East Norwich and West Islip Win PSEG Long Island’s First-Ever Earth Day Video PSA Contest
(UNIONDALE, N.Y. – April 22, 2021) – Today PSEG Long Island announced the winners of its first-ever Earth Day Video PSA Contest. Two hundred seven videos were submitted by creative, local schoolchildren, and 10 made the final cut. Dozens of students and teachers who participated in the program watched the announcement live via webinar hosted by the company this morning.
Over the past two and a half months, nearly 4,500 students in grades 4-8 engaged in the I AM EM-Powered Program and Student Challenge. Created by educational consultants, D. Barrett Associates, the STEM-related coursework provided lessons on energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy in alignment with current educational standards on these topics. The curriculum was also tailored for classroom, virtual learning and hybrid scenarios. Teachers could select and submit their favorite three videos to be judged by a strict grading rubric.
“It was so exciting to see these award-winning videos and to announce the 10 winners today,” said Suzanne Brienza, PSEG Long Island’s director of Customer Experience and Utility Marketing, who co-hosted the event. “The students’ messages of protecting our oceans, conserving electricity and using energy efficient light bulbs are lessons for all of us.”
Michael Voltz, PSEG Long Island’s director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, also co-hosted the event. “It’s great to see how these young environmental advocates are embracing these important issues and adding to the discussion about what we can do to protect and nurture our planet,” he said. “We are very pleased with the positive feedback from students and teachers about this new I AM EM-Powered Program and Student Challenge for Earth Day. Congratulations to all of the students who participated, and thank you to all the teachers who implemented the coursework.”
Sponsored by PSEG Long Island, the I AM EM-Powered Program and Student Challenge was provided free to students in the company’s service area – Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaways.
Program and contest: By the numbers
- 4,347 4th – 8th students participated
- 86 teachers
- 32 elementary and middle schools
- 18 school districts in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaways
- 207 PSA videos submitted
Here is a complete list of the winners.
Student Winners |
Name of PSA video |
Grade |
Teacher(s) |
School |
District |
Pavly Zaky |
Lilly Knows LEDs |
6th |
Karen Alonge |
East Meadow Middle School |
East Meadow |
Jacob Park Dylan Couture Josh Bonfanti |
Conserving Energy |
7th |
Ellen McGlade-McCulloh |
Mineola Middle School |
Mineola |
Juliette Markesano |
5 Easy Ways to Save Money |
6th |
Karen Alonge |
East Meadow Middle School |
East Meadow |
Michael Gallarello Jayleen Martorell |
Put Your Waste in its Rightful Place |
5th |
Veronica Weeks |
Bretton Woods Elementary School |
Hauppauge |
Valerie Tuosto Zia Baluyot |
Cleaner Energy is Your Superpower |
8th |
Matthew Schneck |
Lynbrook South Middle School |
Lynbrook |
Nicole Marino Clara Levy Brooke Marek Leah Anzalone |
Energy Conservation |
7th
|
Vince Interrante |
Mineola Middle School |
Mineola |
James Catania Jose Velasquez |
Save Water |
8th |
Lisa McDougal |
Oyster Bay High School |
Oyster Bay-East Norwich |
Skyler Placella |
Special Energy Agent |
5th |
Diana Hauser |
James H. Vernon School, Oyster Bay |
Oyster Bay-East Norwich |
Abigail Rudnet |
How to Conserve Energy |
5th |
Frank Sommo |
James H. Vernon School, Oyster Bay |
Oyster Bay-East Norwich |
Lena Okurowski Sophia Lastorino Layla Kelly |
Save the Oceans |
5th |
Justin DeMaio |
Bayview Elementary School |
West Islip |
The 10 award-winning videos are available for viewing at youtube.com/psegli. Click the playlist titled “I Am EM-powered PSA contest winners 2021.” A recording of today’s announcement ceremony will be placed in the playlist.
PSEG Long Island provides educational resources through its robust Community Partnership Program, which includes several educational programs for children of all ages at schools, after-school and camp programs. These shows and programs on energy conservation, electric safety and preparing for an emergency have educated tens of thousands of children. This new I Am EM-Powered coursework and contest has been receiving high praise since it was added to the educational programming lineup.
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PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.