What is the High School Essay Contest?
Students prepare an essay of 500 words or less that addresses the theme, "Water is Life." The purpose of the contest is to encourage students to learn more about our water resources as well as provide them with the opportunity to recognize their own writing skills and abilities. A judging committee, comprised of three members of the Board of Directors, selects the winners from among the entries.

The District recently sponsored its tenth annual High School Essay Contest for all students, grades 9 - 12, who reside within the District's service area and/or attend Walnut, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, or Rowland High Schools. Awards were presented to the 2011 High School Essay Contest winners in conjunction with the Poster Contest awards at the District Board meeting in May.

2011 Essay Contest Winners!
Board Members Honor Essay Contest Winners and Their Teachers

Board Members Honor Essay Contest Winners and Their Teachers

Grand Prize: Justin Sang - Diamond Bar School - $500 Savings Bond & Plaque
Loren Eiseley’s saying, “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water” embodies water’s near-onmipotent properties well. Water is a fundamental part of human existence, both literally and figuratively... Read more...

1st Place: Elaine Yu - Walnut High School - $400 Savings Bond & Certificate
Leonardo da Vinci wrote that “water is the driving force of all nature”, an inescapable truth that pertains to modern day. A film of live-giving water covers 70% of the earth’s surface and serves to moderate climate, cleanse polluntants, and sculpt the land... Read more...

2nd Place (Tie): Derek Chang - Diamond Bar High School - $300 Savings Bond & Certificate
Water is one of the simplest molecules that we know of, consisting of two hydrogen and one oxygen atom. Yet it is so complex. As Lao Tzu once said about water: “Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water... Read more...

2nd Place (Tie): Jean-Paul Sio - Walnut High School - $300 Savings Bond & Certificate
Life is more than just ironic – it’s cliché too: our water supply is like a box of chocolates to a very picky child allergic to nuts; only some of its nougaty goodness can satisfy his sweet tooth... Read more...

3rd Place: Sarah Stutzman - Diamond Ranch High School - $200 Savings Bond & Certificate
While in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a group of hikers found themselves in a serious situation. They were lost, and they only had enough food and water for a couple of days... Read more...

How do I participate in the High School Essay Contest?
In January or February letters announcing the High School Essay Contest are sent to District area high school principals and department chairs with entry forms that are forwarded to teachers for distribution to students.

Participating students are required to compose an original essay using expository, descriptive, narrative, or persuasive writings addressing the theme, “Water is Life.” The essay must be 500 words or less and can be written legibly in ink or typed using double spacing on 8-1/2" x 11" paper. Each essay must have a label affixed to the back with the student's name clearly printed on the label.

The student should attach his/her essay to an entry form and submit both to the teacher. Using the District's contest guidelines, each high school selects its top four essays and submits these to the District by the specified date. Participants must reside within the District's service area or attend Walnut, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, or Rowland high schools.

Contact your high school teacher for further information on participating in the High School Essay Contest.

What happens after the essays are submited?
Three members of the District's Board of Directors judge the entries based on overall effectiveness, organization, logic, accuracy, language usage, and originality. Each of the four finalists is invited to receive special recognition at the May Board meeting where prizes are awarded (Grand Prize, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd). A press release is then issued to local newspapers to recognize the students for their outstanding efforts in promoting the importance of water as a precious resource.

The District proudly displays the winning essays at one or more specific events during the month of May, California's Water Awareness Month.

The winning essays are displayed on the District's web site for the following year, along with group photographs of the winners.

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