State Representative of the 132nd House District, Jennifer Leeper, organized an art contest this spring to encourage middle and high school students to engage with historical and environmental landmarks in our town. The high school contest, “Reimagining Sustainability,” challenged students to envision how the Fairfield community can take proactive action to mitigate environmental degradation and the impacts of climate change.

Sofia Destaso and Beatrix Schiever, freshmen at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, received first place in the high school contest for their documentary on preservation of the Long Island Sound ecosystem. They interviewed Rep. Leeper and teachers at the Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture School to investigate action happening at the community and state level to preserve the Long Island Sound ecosystem. Sofia reflects, “The documentary focuses on state level preservation efforts for the Long Island Sound. It also explores the role of education and community volunteerism in building a culture of awareness in our community.”