Kayla Ling, a seventh-grader at The Nueva School in Hillsborough, was recently awarded the Overall Best in Festival for her video “We Have a Climate Crisis — Who’s to Blame?” at the fourth annual 2021 CEC Student Film Fest in San Mateo County.
Ling, a Hillsborough resident, also was the winner of the festival’s Intermediate School Category. She was awarded a guest appearance on the podcast, “Earth to Humans,” and received a complimentary pass to the Women in Film San Francisco Bay Area event.
The festival was co-sponsored by the Citizens Environmental Council of Burlingame and the Burlingame Environmental Club of Burlingame High School.
Elaina Newman, a fifth-grader at Franklin School in Burlingame, was the winner in the Elementary School Category for her video “The Climate Cost of Clothing,” while Jamison Chow, Katie Hong and Ashley Stewart of San Mateo High School combined to win the High School Category with their video “Effects of Rising Sea Levels.”
The festival is open to students in grades 4-12 who live in or attend school in San Mateo County, who were invited to enter environmental videos of up to five minutes in length. The contest received 22 submissions and CEC awarded cash prizes of $100 to the elementary school winner, $150 to the middle school winner and $350 to the high school winners.
The Citizens Environmental Council is a volunteer group dedicated to championing regional sustainability through education, advocate for environmental and climate policy, and empower young environmental leaders. More information is available on the group’s website, or by email.
