A new youth photography competition was a dream come true for its namesake, one of the event’s founders said.

Joy Grundy, the wife of the late Reg Grundy, said the Dr Reg Grundy Annual Youth Photography Competition “was the culmination of my husband’s dream for the children of Bermuda”.

She added: “The standard for an inaugural year was exceptionally high.

“I look forward with excitement to next year’s event.”

An awards ceremony was held last week to recognise finalists as part of the first year of the competition founded by Ms Grundy and the National Museum of Bermuda.

Nearly 600 photographs were submitted by pupils at 29 different island schools.

Elena Strong, the executive director of the NMB, said that the inaugural year of the competition had been a success.

She added: “The calibre of the submissions was extraordinary, making it challenging for the judges to select the finalists.”

Ms Strong encouraged participants who were not selected for prizes to take part in next year’s event.

She said: “You have time to work on your craft and share how you see the world around you.”

Photographs were submitted under three categories: Bermuda Life, Bermuda Buildings and Bermuda Wildlife/Nature.

Participants aged 7 to 18 took part in three age categories: 7 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 to 18.

Works were judged by Deborah Atwood, the curator at the NMB, photographer and artist Antoine Hunt, and Chinni Mahadevan, the curator of the Reg Grundy photography libraries.

Category winners received accounts with Clarien Bank. Winners in the senior age category received $500, while winners in the two lower age categories received $300 and $200, respectively.

Runners up in each category received a $150 gift card to Brown & Co,

Heron Bay Primary School, in Southampton, took home a $1,500 gift certificate for AF Smith for school supplies as the school with the most contest submissions.

Marcus DaCosta, from Mount Saint Agnes Academy, won the Best in Show prize.

He also won the 15 to 18 age group in the wildlife category.

The work of all finalists will be on display at Commissioner’s House, in Dockyard, for the next six months.

A full list of finalists:

Bermuda Wildlife/Nature

Age Category: 7-10

Alisa K.M. Lightbourne, Somerset Primary School — Runner Up

Jaylen Basden, Heron Bay Primary School — Winner

Age Category: 11-14

Reilly Durfy, Saltus Grammar School — Runner Up

Caiden Millett, Somersfield Academy — Winner

Age Category: 15-18

Mia Hazlewood, Warwick Academy — Runner Up

Marcus DaCosta, Mount Saint Agnes Academy — Winner

Bermuda Life

Age Category: 7-10

Lara Nicholson Pavkovic, Warwick Academy — Runner Up

Seri Fisher, Warwick Academy — Winner

Age Category: 11-14

Starr Bowen, Warwick Academy — Runner Up

Arima Turner, Bermuda High School for Girls — Winner

Age Category: 15-18

Genevieve Lau, Bermuda High School for Girls — Runner Up

Tre’sure Nanette, James Madison High School (Homeschool) — Winner

Bermuda Buildings

Age Category: 7-10

Cristiano Hizon, West Pembroke Primary — Runner Up

Ori Shrem, Somersfield Academy — Winner

Age Category: 11-14

Tegan Gannon-Trott, Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning — Runner Up

Schuyler Young, Somersfield Academy — Winner

Age Category: 15-18

D’Jae Gilbert, CedarBridge Academy — Runner Up

Shanya Simmons, Warwick Academy — Winner

Best in Show

Marcus DaCosta, Mount Saint Agnes Academy — Bermuda Wildlife/Nature