Young artists in Maryland are being called upon to contribute to the promotion of peacemaking through the Maryland Judiciary’s 10th annual Conflict Resolution Day Student Bookmark Art Contest. This initiative targets students from kindergarten through eighth grade and is aligned with national Conflict Resolution Day, observed on October 15, 2015.
Participants are encouraged to design bookmarks centered around themes such as resolving or preventing conflict. Suggested topics include peer mediation, dialogue, apologies, respecting differences, collaborative problem-solving, listening, tolerance, peace-building, and non-violent alternatives.
Entries will be evaluated based on creativity and thematic relevance. Prizes will be distributed across three age categories: grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. First-place winners in each category will receive $75; second place earns $50; third place gets $25. Additionally, six out of nine winning designs will be printed as bookmarks for distribution throughout Maryland to further promote conflict resolution.
The contest is organized by the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) and has grown significantly since its inception in 2005. In the previous year alone, over 2,000 students participated statewide.
Prize-winning students will be honored alongside their families at a ceremony at the Judiciary Education and Conference Center in Annapolis on November 17. Mary Ellen Barbera, Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, will present the awards during this event. The top 1,000 entries will also be exhibited at the conference center throughout November and December.
Entries must be submitted by October 15 — Conflict Resolution Day itself — using either a template available on MACRO’s website or any other paper format not exceeding dimensions of three inches by nine inches. Each submission should include essential information like student name and contact details clearly labeled on the back or using a provided label.
Submissions can be mailed or delivered to Alecia Parker at MACRO's office in Annapolis by October 15. For more details regarding participation in this art contest aimed at fostering peaceful conflict resolution among young minds in Maryland schools or programs," interested parties may contact Alecia Parker at "410-260-3540" or via email at "[email protected]."