Discovery Middle School student Victoria Lee, at right, stands by her first-place winning artwork for Hispanic Heritage Month. Lee met Ellen Ochoa, America’s first Hispanic female astronaut, who was featured speaker at the awards ceremony on Redstone Arsenal. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Victoria Lee received a surprise honor with her first-place win in the Hispanic Heritage Month art contest.

For her win, Lee, a student at Discovery Middle School, attended an awards ceremony at the Sparkman Center on Redstone Arsenal. Soldiers, civilians and relatives in the audience viewed cultural displays and enjoyed food tasting and dance performances.

Lee had the honor of meeting Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic female astronaut with the U.S. space program. Ochoa was guest speaker for the ceremony.

“Victoria was on the moon in meeting Ms. Ochoa,” Discovery art teacher Raquel Spiegel said. “Ochoa flew four space flights as a mission specialist and flight engineer. She is now the director of flight crew operations at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.”

Redstone Arsenal personnel coordinate the contest for Hispanic Heritage Month as one example of their ethnic observance programs that promote diversity and inclusion within the community.