The annual fourth-grade watermelon contest has ended with the top award going to the grower of a massive, record-setting melon.

The Lincoln County Master Gardeners distributed free watermelon seeds to approximately 600 fourth graders across the county in April, encouraging students to learn a bit about gardening while competing for a prize up to $100. Weigh-in for the melons took place on the last night of the Exchange Club Fair Saturday. Top three melons by weight won their growers $25, $50 or $100. The biggest melons at each school won $25 each for the boy or girl who grew them.

The sweet Congo watermelons could reach weights of more than 40 pounds. The winner this year weighed a whopping 59.8 pounds, setting a new record for the annual contest.

“This is by far the heaviest watermelon we have ever had,” said Master Gardener Steve Edge. “The previous high was 42 pounds.”

Georgia Ann Roberts, now a fifth grader at Brookhaven Academy, cultivated the giant. She won a total of $125 for her efforts.

Thirteen students brought melons to be weighed Saturday. Nine came from Bogue Chitto students. Edge said he attributed that to the encouragement of their science and social studies teacher, Laken Van Norman.

The overall second-place winner was Harper Kyzar, with a 30.6-pound melon. Third place went to Jacey Moore. Kyzar and Moore are both Bogue Chitto students.