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Power

Bright Ideas Win Big in Student Contest for Clean Energy

Group of diverse students and SFPUC staff standing in a room, some holding certificates, smiling at the camera.
  • Haylie Ann C. Cantiller

An animated video with hand-drawn illustrations. Poems that personified the fog and imagined “the city that we promised to be” by 2040. An essay arguing for public transit that runs on renewable energy and is free for kids.

These are just a few of the compelling stories that students shared as part of the CleanPowerSF 2026 Climate and Clean Energy High School Video and Writing Contest. In creating a poem, persuasive speech, or video with the theme of “Powering San Francisco’s Future,” more than 70 students were awarded $500 scholarships for college. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) Power Enterprise recognized the students’ creative work and handed out certificates of achievement in a celebratory event held at the SFPUC’s headquarters last month.

A woman with long hair shakes hands with a young man holding a certificate in a classroom setting.
Assistant General Manager Barbara Hale congratulates a student on his award submission.

“These inspiring contest submissions are a testament to San Francisco’s youth, who give us real hope for a more sustainable and equitable future. As the City’s clean energy provider, CleanPowerSF is proud to empower the next generation through opportunities that encourage climate awareness and sustainability leadership,” said Michael Hyams, Acting Assistant General Manager for the Power Enterprise.

Designed by the SFPUC’s Communications team, the contest was a new initiative to increase awareness of the SFPUC as San Francisco’s clean energy provider and to promote environmental stewardship among high school students. Students learned how programs like CleanPowerSF provide power from more renewable sources like solar and wind to residents and businesses, while helping to reduce carbon footprint and fight climate change.

The SFPUC partnered with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and the San Francisco Kindergarten to College (K2C) program, a municipal children’s savings account program. For the winning entries, students received a deposit of a $500 scholarship in their K2C accounts. After they graduate from high school, they can reclaim the funds to pay for any post-secondary education costs.

“We thank SFUSD, the San Francisco Public Library, and the many community-based organizations who helped promote this contest. We also appreciate the help that Blair Randall, SFPUC Education Manager, provided as we developed this idea,” said Elisa Rodriguez Furey, Communications Specialist.

Check out the winning entries.