Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera of the Maryland Court of Appeals recognized young artists for their contributions to promoting peaceful conflict resolution. The event took place on November 17, 2015, at the Judiciary Education and Conference Center (JECC) in Annapolis. Students, along with their families and supporters, attended the ceremony as winners of the Maryland Judiciary’s Conflict Resolution Day Student Bookmark Art Contest.
The contest marked its 10th year with nearly 2,000 submissions from Maryland students ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade. During the reception, Chief Judge Barbera presented awards to the winners and viewed their artwork.
A selection of the top 1,000 entries is currently exhibited at the Judiciary Education and Conference Center located at 2011 Commerce Park Drive in Annapolis. The artworks emphasize themes such as peer mediation, dialogue, apologies, respecting differences, collaborative problem-solving, listening skills, tolerance, peace-building, and other non-violent solutions.
Sponsored by the Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO), prizes were distributed across three age categories: kindergarten through second grade; third through fifth grade; and sixth through eighth grade. First-place winners received $75 each; second-place winners got $50 each; while third-place winners were awarded $25 each. Additionally, three to five selected entries will be reproduced as bookmarks to further promote conflict resolution throughout Maryland.