Walt Whitman High School student Caroline Amory James was selected as one of the 20 visual arts finalists in the nation in the annual Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS), one of the most prestigious arts competitions for high school seniors in the nation.

She was one of two winners in the state of Maryland and the only winner from Montgomery County Public Schools.

The ARTS competition, sponsored by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, recognizes the nation's outstanding artistic talent in music, dance, drama, writing and the visual arts. More than 4,300 students submitted applications in the form of tapes, recordings, written materials, and slide portfolios.

As one of the 20 visual arts finalists from among 3,000 visual arts applicants, James, who studies in Whitman's Advanced Placement studio arts program, was chosen to attend Arts Week 2001 in Miami, Florida. She was among 125 ARTS finalists in theater, dance, vocal music, instrumental music, jazz, film, photography, writing and visual arts to attend Arts Week.

The top five students from each area will have the opportunity to compete for the Presidential Scholar award later in the year.

James submitted a portfolio of five very large red conte crayon drawings of figures, primarily self-portraits. She also paints landscapes in oil and enjoys painting cows as well.

Whitman students from the Advanced Placement studio arts class, taught by Walt Bartman, have been represented as finalists in this competition each year since 1982. Of the approximately 90 Presidential awards given since 1982, nine Whitman students have been named Presidential Scholars in the Visual Arts, the most in the country by one teacher.

Of the 45 honorable mentions awarded this year, four were from Whitman's AP studio arts program: Brendon Wiuff, Karen Hutchins, Bertrand Parcells and Alexandra Ritzenberg. Whitman student Amy Wickner was recognized as a merit award winner.

The Visual Art Center at Albert Einstein High School also had three honorable mention winners in the ARTS competition: Terry Kennedy, Erin Mitchell and Carin Johnson.