Five Hays CISD middle school students were named as winners recently in a writing contest about water. Winning students received prizes ranging from $100 to $500. Finalists were selected from Barton, Chapa, McCormick, Dahlstrom and Simon middle schools. The grand-prize winner was from Dahlstrom Middle School.

Submissions from Hays CISD middle school students were scored anonymously by a panel of Hays CISD English/Language Arts teachers.

The winning essay was written by Dahlstrom Middle School eigh...