The winners of an environmental research competition held on the island will go head-to-head against other young researchers from across the globe.

Six young people were crowned the winners of Bermuda’s Young Reporters for the Environment Journalism Competition across their respective categories.

For the contest, hosted by the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, 32 children and young adults investigated and reported on environmental challenges.

The winners go into the annual YRE Global Competition, which compares their submissions with those of others from around the world.

Julie Steele, the education director of BUEI, said: “We are so pleased with the participation of young people in all age categories this year.

“These pieces reflect how students can articulate their awareness and concerns for the environment.

“From poetry to video montage to well-researched reports and unique photo storytelling, students are developing journalistic skills and forms of expression that represent how they see Bermuda.”

The YRE competition, which entered its second year in Bermuda, asked people between the ages of 11 and 25 to research environmental problems and present solutions using any medium they chose.

It is part of the BUEI’s Foundation for Environmental Education Programme, which was introduced in 2022.

This year’s edition focused on the themes of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

Oliver Roberts-Pitcher, 14, from Whitney Institute Middle school, won the Environmental Campaign Photo category for his submission, The Balls Are Always in OUR Court.

Maya Fitzmaurice-Trott, also 14, from Saltus Grammar School, won the Photo Story category for Under the Surface.

Giana Cedenio, 16, from Warwick Academy, won the Single Reportage Photo category for her submission, Mangroves: Our Earth’s Silent Heroes, Capturing and Storing Carbon to Help Save Our Planet.

Maxwell Lacey received an honourable mention in the same category for his entry, The Red Path in Darkness.

Victory in the Article category was shared between Zoë Mir, a 14-year-old Somersfield Academy pupil, for Fighting Biodiversity Loss with Micro Forests, and Jahdia Spencer, a 25-year-old graduate of King’s College University London, for Filtered Perfection, Polluted Reality: How Beauty Social Media Influencers Drive Sunscreen Overuse and Coral Reef Destruction.

Niamh Serrana and Ryan Renaud received honourable mentions in the same category for their entries, The Impact of Climate Change in Bermuda and Ocean Levels Rising Due to Global Warming!.

Jorai Laurenceo, Sir DeVent and Charles Fernandes, all 15-year-old Mount Saint Agnes Academy pupils, won the Video Reportage category for their submission, The Biodiversity Crisis.

Tejah Bean received an honourable mention in the same category for Bermuda is a Dormant Volcano.

The BUEI thanked the competition jurors for their service.

This year’s submissions for the YRE can be viewed on the BUEI website.