the US.

The first place posters by Emily Potts of Gilbert Institute and Alice Blizman of St. George's Preparatory will be sent to Washington DC as part of a nation wide competition in celebration of the ocean.

The girls won the primary one to three, and Primary Four to Middle One categories, respectively.

Second and third place finishers in the younger division were Ana-Rita Aguiar and Natalie Stapff of St. George's Preparatory.

And in the older category, Elise Rodriquez of Mount St. Agnes Academy took second place honours, with shared third going to Shaydrina Hassell of Northlands Primary and Amber Bannerman-Maxwell of Gilbert Institute.

The Bank of Bermuda presented statement savings accounts of $500, $200, and $100, respectively, to the first, second, and third place finishers.

The Bank also donated $250 cash to each of the school libraries of the winning entrants.

And Emily and Alice received gift certificates for the Dolphin Quest facility in Southampton.

The United Nations declared 1998 as International Year of the Ocean to emphasise the importance of marine environments and their resources.