A group of Hilmar High School students were recognized during the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday after winning this year’s “Take Action” Energy Efficiency Video Contest.

The winning video, entitled “Leadership Energy,” chronicles the Johnson family’s efforts to become more energy efficient than their neighbors, the Smiths, while also featuring TID’s Home Energy Analysis and Refrigerator Recycling Program.

The two minute video is the winner of TID’s second annual high school video contest where area schools were invited to submit short videos promoting refrigerator recycling, the Home Energy Analysis Program, shade trees or energy efficient refrigerators.

Led by their teacher Dianna de Matos, the Hilmar team consisted of students Sophia Dahlin, Jocelyn Gallegos, Julia Johnson, and Marco Romo. For their efforts, the team members split a lump sum of $1,000, while their school was awarded $3,000.

A five member panel judged each submitted video, being judged on accuracy of information, creativity, use of humor, and use of videography. Being featured on TID’s website and YouTube channel, community members can view the top three videos from Hilmar High School, and Whitmore Charter High School, which took second and third place.

The second place video from Whitmore Charter High highlighted energy efficient refrigerators, while the third place video, also from Whitmore, focused on shade trees. The District expects to roll out the video contest to high schools again next fall, with the hope of increasing the number of entries.

The Home Energy Analysis program is new to TID customers, giving them the ability to gauge the effectiveness of their energy efficiency efforts by providing them the average energy use of homes similar in size and age. This new service is provided to TID customers free of charge.

To view the top three video contest winners, visit www.tid.org/news-resources/videos.