Olympiad of the Arts honored its 2003 winners at a ceremony at the West Valley College Theater on May 4. More than 500 students competed in various categories for $6,100 worth of prize money.

Seventy-five years ago Sen. James Phelan, founder of Montalvo, envisioned the Santa Clara Valley as the "Athens of the West" and initiated the Olympiad of the Arts. Today the Olympiad is the only countywide arts competition for high school and lower-division college students. It is a competition that encourages and rewards excellence in the performing and creative arts.

Awards were given in acting, dance, vocal and piano music, short stories, poetry, photography and the visual arts.

Among the winners were students from Willow Glen and Presentation high schools. Presentation High School student Jennifer Perisho placed fourth in the classical vocal category and Ragini Srinivasan placed second in traditional verse poetry and free verse and third place in light verse poetry. Willow Glen High School students performed well in the visual arts category. "Best of show" went to Adam Johnson, Sam Olivas and Patrick Postle. Carly Silva got an honorable mention.

—Amy Jenkins