The East Lyme-based Envision Kindness has announced the winners of its second annual Envision Kindness Student Film Contest. The contest challenged middle school, high school and college students from across the state to conceive and produce original, lighthearted, short films using kindness as the central theme.

Forty films were received, and the public voted on them, selecting which would be finalists.

Winners were then selected by a group of acclaimed actors, filmmakers, producers, directors and journalists including Trey Ellis, Dave Goetsch, Janet Grillo, George Norfleet, Ann Nyberg, and Jennifer Westfeldt, all of whom have ties to Connecticut and volunteered their time.

Winning films can be viewed on the Envision Kindness You Tube Channel.

Locally of note: first-place winner for college entries is Three Rivers Community College's "Kindness Video"; third place for high-school entries is Norwich Free Academy's "Everyone Deserves Kindness"; and best cinematography and best music for middle-school entries went to East Lyme Middle School's "If the Shoe Fits."

First place winners included Shepaug Valley Middle School, Washington, for middle schools, and Rectory School, Pomfret, for high schools.