Katherine Li Earns Top Middle School Honor in Economics Category of the 2025-2026 World of 8 Billion Competition

Westport Public Schools is proud to announce that Bedford Middle School sixth grader Katherine Rose Li has won first place in the middle school economics category of the 2025-2026 World of 8 Billion student video contest. Winners were announced on May 19, and Katherine’s video, Hanging by a Thread, was recognized for its thoughtful message about the growing problem of fast fashion.

Sponsored by Population Connection, the annual contest challenges students to create a 60-second public service announcement exploring how global population growth intersects with major issues such as energy, wetlands, or economics. This year’s competition drew more than 5,000 student entries from 63 countries around the world.

Katherine chose to focus on fast fashion and the environmental challenges created by inexpensive clothing that often ends up in landfills and open spaces. Her video also proposed biodegradable fabrics as part of a more sustainable future, showing both strong research and a solution-oriented approach to a complex global issue.

All over the world, people like to purchase cheap clothes that end up piled in landfills and open spaces, said Katherine Rose. If people continue to make these small decisions, it makes it worse around the globe.

As the first-place winner in her category, Katherine will receive a $600 prize, and her video will be featured on the World of 8 Billion website.

It takes real skill to communicate a persuasive message in just one minute about urgent problems facing our growing world, said John Seager, President of Population Connection. These students both explain complex issues clearly and think creatively about how we collectively can build a more sustainable future.

Katherine’s first-place finish is an outstanding accomplishment, said Dr. Adam Rosen, principal of Bedford Middle School. She took a complex global issue and communicated it with clarity, creativity, and purpose. We are incredibly proud of her thoughtful work and the way she represented Bedford Middle School.

Her teacher, Sean Murphy, praised Katherine’s ability to connect complex issues through her project. What impressed me most was Katherine’s ability to connect economic, environmental, and ethical considerations into a creative, solution-oriented presentation. Experiences like the World of 8 Billion contest are so valuable because they encourage students to think critically about real-world challenges and see how their ideas can make a meaningful difference.

Katherine’s achievement reflects both her creativity and her ability to communicate a complex issue in a clear and compelling way. Her success also highlights the strong academic and enrichment opportunities available to students at Bedford Middle School and across Westport Public Schools.

The district congratulates Katherine on this outstanding accomplishment and celebrates the hard work, originality, and critical thinking that led to this recognition on an international stage.

To view the full list of winning videos and learn more about the contest, visit the World of 8 Billion winners page.