Grinning middle- and high-school-aged youths shared the stage at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and Carson River Coalition Education Working Group's "Keep Streamsides Greener, Keep Water Cleaner" film contest recently at the Carson City Sheriff's Office.
Several of the students took home awards, including two $250 grand prizes. Sharing the spotlight with the young filmmakers was another honored guest: The Carson River and its many miles of endangered riparian land.
Student contestants wrote, shot and produced their own short videos focusing on the preservation, protection and restoration of the Carson River and the buffer zone that exists between the stream and trafficked uplands.
Winners by category included:
• Best Technical Production: "Carson River - On the Brink of Extinction," by Curtis DeVore and Mark Lacey, Carson High School.
• Best Cinematogra-phy: "Carson River - Cleaning Up the Natural Beauty," by Tyler Kerver and Andrew Peckham, Carson High School.
• Most Original: "A Day at the River," Eagle Valley Middle School, by Chris Nerska, teacher, and students Scarlett Baeza, Mariah Brooks, Fred Christensen, Darnel George, Tori King, Kaylin Marler, Valerie Meister and Arianna Schmidt.
• Best Original Music Score: "The Carson River," by Elizabeth Jarett, Carson High School.
• Most Liked in Facebook: "A Day at the River," Eagle Valley Middle School, by Chris Nerska, teacher, and students Scarlett Baeza, Mariah Brooks, Fred Christensen, Darnel George, Tori King, Kaylin Marler, Valerie Meister and Arianna Schmidt.
• Audience Favorite: "Carson River - On the Brink of Extinction," by Curtis DeVore and Mark Lacey, Carson High School.
• $250 Grand Prize Winner: Middle School Video: "A Day at the River," Eagle Valley Middle School, Chris Nerska, teacher, and students Scarlett Baeza, Mariah Brooks, Fred Christensen, Darnel George, Tori King, Kaylin Marler, Valerie Meister and Arianna Schmidt.
• $250 Grand Prize Winner, High School Video: "The Carson River," by Elizabeth Jarett, Carson High School.
The student films are available for viewing online at www.facebook.com/car
sonriver?v=app_2392950137.
Donaldson said the "Keep Streamsides Greener, Keep Water Cleaner" event helps Nevada youths understand the importance of Nevada riparian areas while encouraging them to use newer technologies to help spread awareness.
The Carson River Coalition Education Working Group includes the Audubon Society, Carson Water Subconservancy District, Clear Creek Watershed Council, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, River Wranglers, The Nature Conservancy, University of Nevada Cooperative Exten-sion and River Wranglers.