Students explore the benefits of clean electric technologies
Sunnyvale, CA — Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) awarded $18,000 in scholarships to local students for their original, impactful, and creative video submissions to the annual EmPower Silicon Valley competition. This year, nine middle and high school students were recognized for their videos promoting the benefits of clean, electric technology.
Students submitted videos including catchy pop song remixes about heat pump water heaters, compelling advertisements for electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment, and a presidential debate advocating for induction cooktops as the superior cooking method. The participants crafted informative and visually appealing shorts that seamlessly blended technological facts with creative messaging and memorable language.
One winner, Clarabelle Wang from Cupertino High School, remarked on the unique potential of creativity in spreading awareness, “With creative content, we can touch the hearts of the public, especially children who are least knowledgeable on the topic. By doing this, we can bring light to the issues and solutions of climate change to a broader demographic.”
Four grand prizes of $3,000 each were awarded to videos that demonstrated exceptional editing, creative messaging, and execution:
- Heat Pump Hit Award: SVCE Short Music Video Entry: Heat Pumps by Jeremy Brosnan, Saint Francis High School
- Iconic Commercial Award: EV Chargers: The Pulse of the Future by Jyothiswaroop Makala, Prospect High School
- Nobel Technology Award: Heat Pump Water Heater Parody by Elspeth & Audrey Luu, Monta Vista High School
- Presidential Induction Award: Clean Cooking 2.0 by Reena Boddukuri, Prospect High School
Three Creative Presentation Awards of $2,000 each were given to videos that demonstrated strong visions of a clean energy future and/or creative communications:
- Creative Presentation Award: Got Charge? EmPowerSV Student Video by Maple Fan and Clarabelle Wang, Cupertino High School
- Creative Presentation Award: Go Green – Starting With EV Chargers by Sanvi Bharadwaj, Cupertino Middle School
- Creative Presentation Award: Clean Energy Empowers the Future by Ramya Makala, Prospect High School
Submissions were judged by a panel of SVCE board members and staff.
“Our students never fail to impress me with their boundless creativity and dedication to the environment. I am astounded at the impact these youth have already made in their communities,” said Tina Walia, SVCE Board Chair and City of Saratoga Councilmember. “SVCE, as a community organization, is committed to engaging these youth with opportunities to build a clean energy future.”
Concluding its fourth year, the EmPower Silicon Valley Short Film Competition has awarded over $77,000 to students who have engaged in innovative climate solutions to raise awareness and inspire action in the community.
View this years’ winning short films at svcleanenergy.org/empower-sv.
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About Silicon Valley Clean Energy
Silicon Valley Clean Energy is a not-for-profit, community-owned agency providing clean electricity from renewable and carbon-free sources to more than 275,000 residential and commercial customers in 13 Santa Clara County jurisdictions. As a public agency, net revenues are returned to the community to keep rates competitive and promote clean energy programs. Silicon Valley Clean Energy is advancing innovative solutions to fight climate change by decarbonizing the grid, transportation, and buildings. Learn more at SVCleanEnergy.org.
Media Contact
Michaela Pippin, Principal Communications Specialist | 408.549.2690 | Michaela.Pippin@svcleanenergy.org
