U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor yesterday honored the talented young artists that participated in the Next Generation & 11th Congressional District Student Competition, the annual high school art exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art.

“I am very excited to be here today to honor these talented students,” said Castor. “I would like to thank Jim Davis, Suzanne Knapp and the Congressional Art Competition Steering Committee for their commitment throughout the years. They have made this great competition what it is today.”

Castor presented the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners and the Congressional Choice Award.

The winners were: Irma Diaz from Freedom High School (Congressional Choice Award), Elizabeth Seaman from Bloomingdale High School (1st Place), Victoria Sweeney from Sickles High School (2nd Place), and Hanna M. LeHeup from Blake High School (3rd Place).

“I’m so proud of her. All the hard work Irma has done all this year has paid off. She wanted to go to art school and didn’t have the money. Now her dreams have come true,” said Diaz’s art teacher Jane Lewis.

The 1st-3rd place winners received saving bonds from Pilot Bank, and their teachers got cash prizes from the Arts Council.

Diaz will have her work of art on display in the U.S. Capitol, representing District 11 of Florida for one year from June 2007 to June 2008. She will also represent the district in An Artistic Discovery, a national ceremony recognizing the winners from districts across the country. Southwest Airlines has contributed to the Congressional Art Competition Steering Committee three round trips to Washington, D.C. for Diaz, her parents and her teacher to take part in the ceremony, and accommodations have been donated to the Congressional Art Competition Steering Committee by Capitol Suites.

The Savannah College of Art and Design donated a $20,000 scholarship, and the University of Tampa donated a $10,000 scholarship. The winner also received a family membership to the Tampa Museum of Art.

Diaz’s art teacher was recognized with cash prizes from the Arts Council and the Hillsborough County Art Education Foundation for classroom literature.

Other winners included: Suzanne Berhow from Bloomingdale High School won the Museum Choice Award, Evellin Skyers from Blake High School won Best of Photography, Heather Tyndall from Gaither High School won Best of Sculpture, and Stephanie Richoll from Sickles High School won the Florida Watercolor Society Award.