“Water…the Cycle of Life” was the theme for the 2013 poster and essay contests sponsored by the Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District and the NC Association of Conservation Districts. Students in third through sixth grades from various schools in the county submitted entries to the district.
James Allen, Beaufort SWCD Chairman, presented cash prizes from the district at a recent gathering held at the Agricultural Center in Washington. Each first-place winner received $25 and a chance to compete in the next contest level, the Area 5 competition. Prize money for each second-place winner was $20 and for each third place winner, $15.

Poster contest winners are:
Third grade: 1st place-Wilson Sawyer; 2nd place-Jonah Armstrong; 3rd place-Kailey Keech. All students are from Pungo Christian Academy. Sawyer also took 3rd place in the Area 5 contest.
Fourth grade: 1st place-David Smith, John Small Elementary School; 2nd place-Toni Brown, Bath Elementary School; 3rd place-Parker Sheppard, John Small.
Fifth grade: 1st place-Josiah Griffin; 2nd place-Kevin Gobellan; 3rd place-Anna Everette. All students are from John Small.
Sixth grade: 1st place-Leticia Ramirez Fuentes; 2nd place-Irvin Tellez; 3rd place-Nicole Yontz. All students are from PS Jones Middle School. Fuentes took 3rd place in the Area 5 contest.
The teachers who submitted the winning entries received $25 cash prizes. They are Angela Lee, Third Grade, Pungo Christian Academy; Lisa Moore, Art, John Small Elementary School; and Joe Burns, Art, PS Jones Middle School.
Sixth graders enter an essay contest with the same theme as the poster contest. The district’s winner of $25 is John Hinsley from PS Jones Middle School along with his teacher, Dawn Landen. Hinsley also took 3rd place in the Area 5 essay contest. The district 2nd place winner of $20 was Matthew Puskas from PS Jones.
The district also awarded honorable-mention ribbons and prize bags to several students. For posters, the recipients are: Kayla Rubio, Shitevaya Carter, Elyse Brinn, Katie Hopkins-Northeast Elementary; Isiah Martin, Zack Alligood, Sydney O’Neal, Sam Stewart, Tristen Pake, Monique Mercado, Hayley Braucher, Carla Arballo, Stephen Hasty-John Small School; Courtney Leggett, John C. Tayloe; Malik Whitney-PS Jones; Roxanna Barrioneuvo, Aniya Haywood-SW Snowden; and Abby Harbrige–Unity Christian Academy.  For essays: Madison Bunting, Jacob Anderson, Jasmin Corprew, Adriana Ciluffo, Lacy Galloway, Jazmin Vega Gomez-PS Jones and Conner Riley-Unity Christian Academy.