Wake County's Soil and Water Conservation District has announced the winners in its annual poster contest.

Earning first-place was David LaPasha of Hunter Elementary School. The second-place winner was Shania Khoo of Green Hope Elementary, and Audrey Pruitt of Alston Ridge Elementary won third place.

The theme for this year's competition, which was open to fifth-graders and had 975 entries, was "Water: The Cycle of Life." The posters illustrated ways that scientists are trying to manage stormwater runoff in areas where development prevents rain from soaking naturally into the soil.

David's poster will compete at the regional level with winners from 10 other counties.

Rounding out the top 10 in the Wake County competition were Allison Saad of Alston Ridge Elementary; Sophia Luo, Kacie Mollin, Erin Boone and Jolene Fernandez of Green Hope Elementary; Wes Hines of Hunter Elementary; and Jaida Williams of Wendell Elementary.