Eastern Student Kyle O'Connor Places in eesmarts Playwright Contest

2017 Jul 14

Four Eastern Connecticut State University students swept the college category of the 13th annual eesmarts Student Contest this past June after writing four kid-friendly plays about energy efficiency and environmentalism.

Among the four Eastern victors was Kyle O'Connor '18 of Hebron, who won third place with a play titled "Saving the World One Day at a Time." O'Connor majors in Communication.

The eesmarts Student Contest is a program of Energize Connecticut that encourages students to showcase their knowledge of energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability. Over 1,200 Connecticut students in grades K-12 and college competed in this year's contest. Forty-three finalists were recognized at the June award ceremony at the State Capitol.

In describing the plot, O'Connor said: "It's about environmentally conscious Diana, who wants to teach her younger brother Kai about why he should care about the earth. Diana shows him all the different ways he can help the world by saving energy, conserving water and making other changes to his daily life. Kai learns that the choices he makes and the actions he takes can help save the world one day at a time."

"With on-going advancements in renewable energies, green building and energy efficient technologies, it is imperative that we equip our students to not only be environmentally conscious but to succeed in this emerging industry," said May Sotos at the ceremony, Connecticut's deputy commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. "It's an honor to be a part of an initiative like eesmarts that encourages students to expand their knowledge and skill set in this subject, and brings their vision of an energy-efficient society to life."