Winners of the fourth Belco Student Art Competition received their awards in a special presentation ceremony at the Bermuda National Gallery this week. In all, 19 public and private schools submitted a record 774 entries, from which 29 students earned first, second and third place honours, as well as honourable mentions.

The theme of the competition, ‘Self-Portraits’, required entrants to produce a self-portrait telling the judges something of themselves, plus an accompanying explanatory paragraph.

Students were divided into six age categories, with prizes and honourable mentions awarded in each.

Winners received a gift certificate, and first prize winners received a cash prize or $250 for their school, to be spent on art supplies.

Six-year-old Saltus Cavendish student Jordan Slade won the draw for two roundtrip tickets to New York City, presented by Claudette Ford, sales manager of American Airlines. For the first time, an additional American Airlines roundtrip ticket was drawn to recognise the efforts of the teachers, and the winner was the Ethan Philip’s teacher, Margo Furbert, of Warwick Academy.

Judges for the competition were local artists Lyn Morrell, Edwin Smith, Angela Ming-Bean, Dr. Charles Zuill, Kathy Harriott and Will Collieson.

Presenting the prizes to the winners, acting Minister of Education Dale Butler said of the displayed art: “I can tell Bermuda’s young artists see themselves as a very diverse group of people”.

He urged all entrants to “forever keep the art inside you alive, and look for inspiration and truth — don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be an artist when you grow up”.

Representing Belco was the company’s vice-president of external relations and corporate communications, Linda Smith Wilson, who congratulated the students on the quality of their art, which she described as “stunning”.

She reminded them that “art is a gift that you will always have as a recreation or as a means to express yourself. You should all be proud of yourselves, as indeed BELCO is proud to support this competition for a fourth year.”

The annual competition, which is also supported by American Airlines and Artcetera, is hosted by the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) to promote and nurture the visual arts in schools.

The Gallery assists schools with their curriculum, in addition to which BNG education officer Judy Wong gives students special presentations on art history.

The Gallery’s autumn exhibition, ‘Rembrandt Etchings: Impressions of Genius’, was the inspiration for this year’s competition.

All 774 entries will remain on display at the BNG until January 15.

The full list of winners and honourable mentions by category is as follows:

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Primary 3<$>

1st place: Caroline Musicant, age 7, Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation

2nd place: Jordan Slade, age 6, Saltus Cavendish

3rd place: Hailey Quig, age 7, Bermuda High School

Honourable Mention: Ella Burt, age 7, Bermuda High School

Primary 4

1st place: Erica Hawley, age 8, Bermuda High School

2nd place: Mikaela Joy Kawaley Lathan, age 8, Saltus Junior School

3rd place: Nique Armstrong, Purvis Primary School

Honourable Mention: Kacy Milan Butterfield, Gilbert Institute>

Primary 5

1st place: Ethan Philip, age 9, Warwick Academy

2nd place: Margaret McGovern, age 9, BHS

3rd place: Aanika Rahman, age 9, Bermuda High School

Honourable Mentions: Anna Cutler, Kristin Dill age 9; Rhiannon Fletcher, age 9. All from Bermuda High School.

Primary 6

1st place: Olivia Lunn, age 10, Somersfield Academy

2nd place: Ryan Ray, age 10, Purvis Primary School

3rd place: Danielle Onyia, Paget Primary School

Honourable Mention: Graham Cooke, age 10, Warwick AcadeB>

MIDDLE SCHOOL

1st place: Gemma Border, age 11, Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation

2nd place: Sajni Richardson, age 11, Warwick Academy

3rd place: Brian Longworth, age 12, Learning Express Academy

SENIOR SCHOOL

1st place: Domico Watson, age 14, Centre of Talented Youth

2nd place: Riley Mello, age 14, Bermuda High School

3rd place: Kevin Simmons, age 15, Saltus Senior School

Honourable Mentions: Schuyler Ruberry, age 16, Saltus Senior School, Sarah Russo, age 15, Bermuda High School, Madison Brewer, age 14, Bermuda High School, Rico Beek, age 15, Berkeley Institute, Avery Martins, age 13, Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation.