Redding Teacher Earns Statewide Honor for Energy Video Project

REDDING, CT — John Read Middle School teacher Jennifer Desmarais has been awarded second place in the 20th Annual eesmarts Student Contest for a short video created with her students promoting the use of solar energy.

The contest, organized by Energize Connecticut in partnership with Eversource and Avangrid subsidiaries, invited students from across the state in grades K-12 to submit original projects focused on sustainability, energy efficiency, and clean energy. Entries included a variety of formats such as poems, essays, posters, videos, and other creative works.

To mark the 20th year of the contest, a new prompt was introduced for educators. Desmarais participated in the teacher category, producing a video in which her students highlighted the benefits of renewable energy sources, particularly solar, in reducing costs and energy consumption.

The 2025 contest received more than 500 submissions from students across Connecticut. Judges selected 35 entries from 26 schools in 25 communities as finalists. An awards ceremony honoring the winners was held May 13 at the Connecticut Science Center.

Energize Connecticut’s eesmarts program aims to educate young people about energy conservation and environmental responsibility. More information on the contest and educational initiatives is available online here.