2026 Middle School Winners

Katherine Rose Li is a 6th grader at Bedford Middle School in Westport, Connecticut and found out about the contest through her teacher, Mr. Murphy, who assigned it as a fun activity. Katherine chose economics and fast fashion because “they were both topics that everyone can relate to.” She knew a little bit about population growth and had read some articles about fast fashion’s impact on the environment. However, after more research, she was shocked to hear specific countries, including Ghana, Thailand, and the Philippines, dump millions of tons of clothing in landfills and open natural spaces.

Katherine rewrote and edited her script several times to get her message across and ensure the video was understandable to everyone. A combination of graphics, video clips, and her own drawings were used to make the video more entertaining. She expressed how, “it was tricky to find copyright-free graphics and edit the video at first, but I made sure to focus on one item at a time and split everything into chunks. In the end, it all came together and felt magical.” Katherine shared that wood pulp and pineapple are the most popular sustainable fabrics, but that she would wear faux-leather clothing made of mushroom mycelium herself!

During her free time, Katherine takes cello lessons, plays soccer, and enjoys writing poems and short stories. She has also participated in Science Olympiad competitions on topics such as entomology and won fourth place with her group! Katherine said, “I just scratched the surface on learning about fast fashion and their sustainable solutions. I am excited to learn more, spread awareness at school and through videos, and even work in the sustainable fashion industry one day!”