On October 17, Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera of the Maryland Court of Appeals will host an event to honor young artists who have contributed their talents to promote peace. The reception will take place at 4 p.m. in the lobby of the Courts of Appeal Building in Annapolis. Students, along with their families and supporters, will be recognized as winners of the Maryland Judiciary’s Conflict Resolution Day Student Bookmark Art Contest.
The contest, now in its eighth year, attracted over 700 entries from Maryland students ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade. All submissions will be displayed in the lobby from October 17 to November 21.
Chief Judge Barbera will present awards to the winners during the event. A list of winners, including school names and locations, is available on the Judiciary website.
Sponsored by the Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO), the contest encourages artwork that reflects themes such as resolving or preventing conflict through peer mediation, dialogue, respect for differences, problem-solving, listening, tolerance, peace-building, or non-violent alternatives.
Prizes include $75 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place across three age categories: kindergarten-second grade; third-fifth grade; and sixth-eighth grade. Additionally, selected entries may be printed as bookmarks to promote conflict resolution throughout Maryland.
The media is invited to attend the event but must obtain necessary releases from families for publication purposes. The full list of winners can be accessed online at http://www.mdcourts.gov/macro/conflictresolutionday/2013/2013contestwinners.pdf