Twenty-three students ranging from fourth- through ninth-grade were awarded cash prizes and trophies, after placing in a variety of contests sponsored by the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District. This year’s theme was “Water…the Cycle of Life.”

The annual contests include a poster contest for third, fourth and fifth graders, essay or slide show (PowerPoint) contests for sixth-graders, public speaking contests for seventh- and eighth-graders and a computer-generated poster contest for ninth-graders. While teachers are usually the link between the district and the students, if a child’s teacher does not choose to participate in the contests, individual students can submit an entry on their own.

Except for the public speaking contest, all contest entries were judged in advance and the ...