Connecticut high school students got the chance to decide how $1.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding will be used.

Officials announced the winners of Voice4Change, a program where students submitted proposals on how to spend a $20,000 grant.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz says the projects addressed social and emotional health, academic achievements and other issues.

"Mental health was a huge priority, and I was just impressed with how attuned students were to that and how passionate they were about trying to improve the mental health of their fellow students,” she says.

Fifty-four winning proposals were awarded to high schools, including Wilton, Norwalk, Danbury and Greenwich.