Dozens of Montgomery County students honored at the DRC’s Conflict Resolution Bookmark Art Contest

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Each year, Montgomery County students in grades K-8 have the opportunity to create bookmarks that promote anti-bullying messages and community peacebuilding. The Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County, Inc. hosts its Conflict Resolution Bookmark Art Contest, open to all local students in public schools and private.

Under the rules of the contest, the bookmark art must reflect peaceful conflict resolution or prevention themes, such as peer mediation, talking things out, apologizing, respecting differences, solving problems together, listening, tolerance, peacebuilding, or alternatives to violence. Not only are winning designs eligible for cash prizes, but the judges select some of the prize-winning bookmarks to be printed and distributed to the public.

The student art contest winners, their families, teachers, and school administrators were invited to this Art Contest Awards Ceremony that recently took place in the James Keeshan Building across from the Montgomery County Courthouse in Conroe. This year, judges had to choose award-winners from more than 1,400 amazing contest entries.

Judge Kathleen Hamilton, 359th Judicial District Court, presented the prizes to the winners; afterwards, she talked with Woodlands Online about the event.

“How I wish that our leaders – in the community and across the world – acted like the children when it comes to peace-building and getting along with one another. It is extremely important in everything you do in life, because there is conflict everywhere. Not everybody agrees with you or thinks the same way you do, but what I see in the courtroom and what we see in real life, all kinds of situations, absolutely demand that you have a peaceful way to resolve a difference of opinion,” she said.

Elaine Roberts, executive director of DRC of Montgomery County, Inc., explained to Woodlands Online the origins of the contest.

“We chose bookmarks as our art canvases mainly due to their size; if you could imagine 1,300 large sheets of paper and how much volume that would take up. Bookmarks also go with our theme of reading on conflict resolution. We’re trying to promote books that support peaceful conflict resolution and prevention of bullying, so it’s a nice reminder. And it gives the child a limited space to work with, so it gives them a good challenge because it compels them to be precise in their message,” she said. “We modeled it after a contest sponsored by the Ohio Supreme Court after getting their permission. We asked them what to expect, and they said for us to not be disappointed if we didn’t get over fifty entries because it took them years to hit that level. For us, our very first year, we got 650 entries. So Montgomery County kids are creative and they responded to the challenge.”

Here is the list of the Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County, Inc.’s winners of its 2023 Annual Conflict Resolution Day Bookmark Contest:

Level 1 – Grade K
First Prize: Alyna Anderson, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Second Prize: Ender Joost, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Third Prize: Reese Matthews, The Woodlands Christian Academy. Teacher: Grace Nguyen
Honorable Mention: Ellie Frailey, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie

Level 1 – Grade 1
First Prize: Ethan De Leon, Snyder Elementary. Teacher: Deanna Wesner
Second Prize: Skye Lawrence, Snyder Elementary. Teacher: Deanna Wesner
Third Prize: Adam Grant, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Honorable Mention (Tie): Abigail Johnson, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie; Charlotte Soileau, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie

Level 1 – Grade 2
First Prize: Audrey Allen, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Second Prize: Brooks Embrey, Snyder Elementary. Teacher: Deanna Wesner
Third Prize (Tie): Augi Giardina, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School. Teacher: Suzanne Ettman; Ibrahim Chaparro Matute, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School. Teacher: Suzanne Ettman
Honorable Mention (Tie): Luke De Vera, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School. Teacher: Suzanne Ettman; Ava Walton, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Staff Favorite: Cora Earnest, All Nations Community School. Teacher: Kristian Aranda

Level 2 – Grade 3
First Prize: Lena Corbell, Snyder Elementary. Teacher: Deanna Wesner
Second Prize: Lexi Wolfe, Snyder Elementary. Teacher: Deanna Wesner
Third Prize: Kinleigh Moore, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Honorable Mention: Kendall McKinney, Bear Branch Elementary. Teacher: Cierra De La Cruz

Level 2 – Grade 4
First Prize: Giulianna Pessanha, Galatas Elementary. Teacher: Marcy Marcum; Counselor: Lyndsey Christopher
Second Prize: Camila Fletcher, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Third Prize: Sarah Adkins, Snyder Elementary, Teacher: Kathline Lindsey
Honorable Mention (Tie): Sebastian Daily, Galatas Elementary. Teacher: Kari Johnson and Counselor: Lyndsey Christopher; Jenner Janca, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Staff Favorites: Stefan Scheepers, Keenan Elementary School. Teachers: Melissa Paddock (Homeroom) and Amy Suttles (Art); Eugenia Villarreal, The John Cooper School. Teacher: Amy Dietrich (Art) and Linda Donald (Counselor)

Level 2 – Grade 5
First Prize: Madeline Cain, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Second Prize: Alexa Jasso, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Third Prize: John Klein, The Woodlands Methodist School. Teacher: Shelly VanBenthuysen
Honorable Mention: Haylee Sheard, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Staff Favorites: Laney George, Wilkerson Intermediate. Teacher: Karen Etue; Bently Mathes, Gordon Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers; Hunter Watson, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie; Katilyn Yao, Wilkerson Intermediate: Teacher: Janeice Robinson

Level 3 – Grade 6
First Prize: Katelynn Mc Kinney, Bear Branch Intermediate. Teacher: Jessica Mc Kinney
Second Prize: Sophie Koulikova, The Woodlands Methodist School. Teacher: Shelly VanBenthusysen
Third Prize: Eden Brown, Clark Intermediate School. Teacher: Josh Young
Honorable Mention: Michael Avery, Wilkerson Intermediate. Teacher: Janeice Robinson
Staff Favorites: Radmila Balybina, Wilkerson Intermediate. Teacher: Karen Etue. Victoria Montero, The Woodlands Methodist School. Teacher: Shelly VanBenthuysen; Luis Tojin, Wilkerson Intermediate. Teacher: Janeice Robinson

Level 3 – Grade 7
First Prize: Katherine Hu, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Second Prize (Tie): Sherry Gao, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen;
Sadie Rosencrans, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Third Prize: Elaf Rama, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Honorable Mention: Sofia Hernandez-Merced, Lynn Lucas Middle School. Teacher: Kristi Johnson
Staff Favorites: Lindsey Boyd, Lynn Lucas Middle School, Teacher: Kristi Johnson; Sarah Malik, McCullough Junior High. Teacher: Roberta Willeford; Aaliyah Nixon, Lynn Lucas Middle School, Teacher: Kristi Johnson; Gabrielle Saxe, Peet Junior High. Teacher: Holly Villa

Level 3 – Grade 8
First Prize: Valerie Gonzalez-Vela, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Second Prize: Slayton Hernandez, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Roberta Willeford
Third Prize: Marcus Lin, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Honorable Mention (Tie): Hana Rasmuson, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Emily Beekman; Avery Johnson, Lynn Lucas Middle School. Teacher: Emileigh Dean