Our Lady of the Hamptons' Eighth Grader Wins NYS Essay Contest
Our Lady of the Hamptons middle schooler Winslow Ryan won NYCOM’s statewide essay contest with his piece that proposed solutions to some of Long Island's water conservation concerns.
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Winslow's essay included a two-level solution to this problem, addressing both water quality and chemical runoff. Winslow proposed an environmentally friendly method of prevention using native Long Island plants to improve water quality.
"We could try increasing populations of oxygenating plants in the lake," Winslow wrote in his essay. "Plants such as white water lilies or lotus have circular leaves that cover the water and keep algae from receiving the sunlight it needs to survive."
Winslow addressed the chemical runoff issue by recommending the usage of "straw wattles," which he described in his essay as being "man-made logs filled with wheat or rice and encased in biodegradable material. They are buried on the bank of the pond and used to slow down and disperse sediment and water."
Ryan is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and has participated in numerous extracurricular activities, including all-male vocal group The Hamptonix, the drama club, the rock band, and the Student Council. He has competed in six consecutive science fairs at Brookhaven National Laboratory and spends time volunteering as a cantor at Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Church in Southampton. He says he would like to be a theater performer, a public defense lawyer, or a biomedical engineer one day.
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