Vista del Lago High School and Folsom High School students earned top honors at SMUD’s Emerging Leaders Energy Summit, a regional sustainability competition held at the Aerospace Museum of California in Sacramento.

Teams spent months developing projects that showcased efforts to reduce food waste, improve energy efficiency, and promote sustainable practices in schools and communities.

The daylong event offered $2,000 scholarships and centered on the theme Fueling the Future – Where Food Meets Energy, exploring how sustainable food systems intersect with clean energy to tackle climate change locally.

Participants ranged from high schools to colleges, reflecting broad interest in sustainability careers and giving students experience in public speaking, collaboration, and problem-solving.

The competition kicked off with a September-initiated educational program featuring industry professionals that helped shape the final projects.

SMUD officials framed the event as part of the utility’s commitment to education, equity, and workforce development amid the region’s shift to cleaner energy; Jose Bodipo-Memba praised the students for leadership and action.

organizers framed the summit as more than a competition, emphasizing its role in accelerating youth-led momentum toward a resilient, sustainable regional future.

Other scholarship-winning teams included Verdant Volt (Consumnes Oaks High School), Team Lorax (NP3 High School), Next Gen Innovators (Sacramento State), Lafobo Group Inc. (Sacramento City College), and Saviors (Sacramento City College School).

JAM (Vista del Lago High School) won top recognition for its project, and EcoVisionaries, a collaboration between Folsom High School and Vista del Lago High School, also received a scholarship award.