Young artists delivered an “amazing” range of work when they entered an art contest that highlights the talents of schoolchildren.

The comments came as the Bermuda National Trust announced the winners of its 2025 student art competition, which ran under the theme “Wild Bermuda”.

Savana Walters took first prize in the junior age group while Solomon Turner was the winner in the senior category.

The BNT said it received 249 entries from primary, middle and senior school students across the island for the annual competition, which was sponsored by Sompo International.

Well-known local artists Jill Amos Raine and Heidi Cowen were involved in initial judging for the contest.

They were joined this year by Shanna Hollis, the chairwoman of the Bermuda Arts Council and a graphic designer responsible for many of the island’s vibrant murals.

Her brother, Nahshon Hollis, who in 2009 featured in Oprah Winfrey’s World’s Most Talented Kids and who won top honours in the 2024 Charman Prize, also judged the event.

“They had the challenging task of selecting the finalists from which Sompo employees voted on the winning entries,” the BNT said.

Alana Anderson, vice president of Sompo International, said: “We have seen the Sompo sponsored student art competition in conjunction with the Bermuda National Trust grow each year.

“We were thrilled with all the submissions this year on the theme of ‘Wild Bermuda’.

“The range of interpretations was amazing, from wild flora and fauna, to wild beach parties, to a wild economy.

“The talent of Bermuda’s students clearly knows no bounds. We want to thank all the students that entered.

“The artwork is truly outstanding and congratulations to our exceptional winners.”

In the 9 to 12-year age group, first place and a prize of $300 was awarded to Ms Walters for her work entitled Feral Family, a watercolour painting of a family of chickens.

Second place went to Julia Stoppa, who produced a colourful picture of cahows in her work Lost and Found, and Amouri Hollis, who drew the attention of judges with his work Real Wild, a modern twist on the theme.

Sa’Mya Campbell received an honourable mention for her sculpture entitled The Mask of Bermuda.

Mr Turner won a prize of $500 in the 13 to 18-year age group for his dramatic representation The Cave and the Storm, which depicted lightening and churning ocean water seen from within a dark cave.

Joint second place winners were Jayce Fough — who produced a mosaic entitled Wild Hibiscus — and Fergus O’Connell who painted Backyard Wilderness, a depiction of a man emerging from a tangled forest. They each won $300.

Honourable mentions went to Mackenzie Lewis for A Storm Over Spittal, Amelie Mulder-Powell for Wild Beach Day and Skye Ferguson for Echoes of Southlands.

An exhibition of the winning pieces will be on display in the reception area of competition sponsor Sompo International at Waterloo House from tomorrow until December 19.