Kingston High School students win climate change essay contest

KINGSTON — Three Kingston High School students were the winners of a climate change essay contest, sponsored by Bainbridge Island Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

Nilus Swanson, Eduardo Santillan and Anastasia Horne gathered a total $800 in prize money for their essays, which were in response to the prompt: “Inspiration for strong climate change action: My message for today’s leaders.”

Swanson’s essay, which earned him the first place prize of $500, sketched the consequences of unchecked climate change as well as some hopeful steps we can take.

Santillan’s essay won the second place prize of $200 and included the passage: “to the world leaders, a 15-year-old boy is telling you all to get your act together.”

Horne took home third and the associated $100 prize. Horne’s essay urged leaders to “be the generation that saves us all.”

“We were impressed with all the essays we received from students, but these three stood out,” said an organizer of the contest, Dr. Michael Soman, a leader of Bainbridge Island Citizens’ Climate Lobby. “We know that our kids and their kids will live with the consequences of inaction on climate change, so we wanted to engage them in helping present their ideas on the topic.”

More information on the Bainbridge Island Climate Lobby can be found at bicl.org.