Five Mars Area High School students were selected as winners of the inaugural West View Water Authority High School Video Contest.

Junior Amanda Scurci earned first place and a $500 award for her untitled video, which discussed the overuse of plastic water bottles and the importance of recycling.

The team of seniors Talia Bartley, Melissa Heintzinger, Ryan Kaniuff and Paul Rude took second place and a $250 prize for its video, “The Art of Water.” The video highlighted the Mars Area Water Protection Program, through which Mars Area High School science teachers and students offer an annual Stream Study Field Trip for Mars Area Centennial School fifth-graders to teach them about the importance of maintaining a healthy watershed.

The contest challenged high school students to create videos educating and informing the public on different topics related to the environment, school spirit, or community service. All winning videos are featured on the authority’s website at http://westviewwater.org/video-contest-winners/.