LIGHTS, CAMERA, SPLASH! MESA WATER NAMES WINNERS OF STUDENT VIDEO CONTEST

Five local students awarded cash prizes for creative storytelling promoting water awareness.

COSTA MESA, Calif.; May 30, 2025 — Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®) is proud to congratulate young filmmakers from Costa Mesa High School for their innovative and original videos promoting Mesa Water’s 100% local water supply and use of water, straight from the tap. Monetary prizes were awarded to the following winners:

• 1st Place – $1,000 – India Howerton and Graydon Sage
• 2nd Place - $750 – Alejandro Sanchez
• 3rd Place - $500 – Logan Bell and Diego Perez 

Additionally, Mesa Water presented a $500 Amazon gift card for classroom supplies to an instructor of the third-place winners – Sarah Portwood, drama teacher at Costa Mesa High School, who encouraged her students’ participation in the contest. 

“The winning submissions captured our attention with their entertaining storytelling about Mesa Water’s abundant source of local water. We appreciate the talent and creativity shown by each student in this contest. It’s an inspiration to see the young adult community involved in their local water agency,” says Marice DePasquale, Mesa Water Board President.

Students who live in or attend high schools and colleges in the Mesa Water service area were invited to submit a fun and informative video (60 seconds or less) addressing one of the following questions:

• Why is it safe to drink Mesa Water straight from the tap? – #ByeByeBottled 
• What does it mean to you that Mesa Water is 100% local? – #PurelyLocal 
• Why do you love Mesa Water? – #ILoveMesaWater

Winners attended Mesa Water’s regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting on May 28 to accept their prizes and be recognized by the Board.