Local Students Promote Bullying Prevention Through Bookmark Art

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Edgar Degas

 Montgomery County, TX – The Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County, Inc. (DRC-MC) hosted an awards ceremony on Thursday, April 18 to honor the 2024 Conflict Resolution Bookmark Art Contest (BAC) winners. In March, 1,486 Montgomery County students in grades K-8 submitted original bookmark size art which reflected peaceful conflict resolution and bullying prevention themes. Forty volunteer judges then picked 57 winners from among the amazingly talented and creative entries.
At the awards ceremony, Judge Kathleen Hamilton presented cash prizes and gift bags to the student winners and bullying prevention books to the teachers as donations to their schools. Beginning on Monday, April 29, the winning bookmarks will be on display in the Montgomery County Memorial Library Central Branch Children’s Section. The DRC-MC will distribute over twenty thousand laminated copies of nine different winning bookmarks throughout Montgomery County free upon request.

“To date 12,486 Montgomery County students from public, private and home school settings have participated in the Conflict Resolution BAC and over 64,000 of the winning student bookmarks have been distributed throughout Montgomery County. This contest has been successful because it gives Montgomery County students and their teachers an opportunity to address difficult topics such as bullying prevention and peaceful conflict resolution in a fun and creative manner. The public also benefits by receiving these bullying prevention messages in the laminated bookmarks which are distributed throughout the county and through viewing the public bookmark displays,” said Elaine Roberts, Executive Director of the DRC-MC. According to Roberts, “the DRC-MC is extremely grateful to the many BAC volunteers and sponsors for their hard work and generosity.” For a complete listing of 2024 BAC judges and sponsors visit the DRC-MC website at https://resolution-center.org/bookmark/. The 2024 Conflict Resolution Bookmark Art Contest winners celebrated at the Awards Ceremony, and whose work will be available for viewing at the Montgomery County Memorial Library Central Branch Children’s Section are:

Level 1- Grades K-2

Grade Kindergarten Winners

First Prize: Sandrine Salinas, The Woodlands Christian Academy. Teacher: Grace Nguyen
Second Prize (Tie): Chikamso Ekeada, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni
Sommers; Emilia Hitt, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Third Prize: Addie Boyd, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Honorable Mention: Benny Chavez, The Woodlands Christian Academy. Teacher: Grace Nguyen

Grade 1 Winners

First Prize: Ethan Chiong, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Second Prize: Madison Dark, The Woodlands Christian Academy. Teacher: Grace Nguyen
Third Prize: Mathison Bevers, The Woodlands Christian Academy. Teacher: Grace Nguyen
Honorable Mention: Dallas Cork, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Staff Favorite: Taylar Goree, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers

Grade 2 Winners

First Prize: Avni Singh, Snyder Elementary. Teacher: Kathline Lindsey
Second Prize: Julia Gondorchin, The Woodlands Methodist School. Teacher: Shelly VanBenthuysen
Third Prize (Tie): Skyler Smith, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Toni
Sommers; Alana Trapp, The Woodlands Christian Academy. Teacher: Grace Nguyen
Honorable Mention: Therese Miranti, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Staff Favorites (Tie): Jacoby Fernandez, The Woodlands Christian Academy.
Teacher: Grace Nguyen; Jameson Fulmer, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Jennifer Mendez-Saldana; Zoe Gutierrez, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Jennifer Mendez-Saldana; Jayla LeBaron, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Jennifer Mendez-Saldana

Level 2- Grades 3-5

Grade 3 Winners

First Prize: Dean Madsen, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Second Prize: Sloan Wilson, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Third Prize: Bailey Jones, Bear Branch Elementary. Teacher: Cierra De La Cruz
Honorable Mention (Tie): Grace Abu Jerias Cabera, Gordon-Reed Elementary.
Teacher: Jennifer Mendez-Saldana; Gabriella Gonzalez, Gordon-Reed
Elementary. Teacher: Toni Sommers
Staff Favorite: Isabella Ramirez, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School. Teacher:
Suzanne Ettman

Grade 4 Winners

First Prize: Sophia Guitta, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teacher: Jennifer Mendez- Saldana
Second Prize: Sofia Patino, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School. Teacher: Suzanne Ettman
Third Prize: Maddi Wolfe, Hines Elementary. Teacher: Jessica Couch
Honorable Mention (Tie): Carter Dooley, The Woodlands Methodist School.
Teacher: Shelly VanBenthuysen; Ella Jane Skrobarczyk, Madeley Ranch
Elementary. Teacher: Ashley Allison

Grade 5 Winners

First Prize: Cage LaRance, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teachers: Toni Sommers
and Jennifer Mendez-Saldana
Second Prize (Tie): Maddie Dohm, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School.
Teacher: Suzanne Ettman; Erik Ortiz, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teachers: Toni
Sommers and Jennifer Mendez-Saldana
Third Prize (Tie): Aria Smith, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teachers: Toni
Sommers and Jennifer Mendez-Saldana; Allison Wernert, Lone Star Elementary.
Teacher: Stacy Ritchie
Honorable Mention (Tie): Harper Steel, Lone Star Elementary. Teacher: Stacy
Ritchie; Manahil Khan, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teachers: Toni Sommers and
Jennifer Mendez-Saldana
Staff Favorites: Stefan Scheepers, Keenan Elementary. Teachers: Julie Worthy
(Homeroom) and Amy Suttles (Art)

Level 3- Grades 6-8

Grade 6 Winners

First Prize (Tie): Karina Fernandez, Wilkerson Intermediate School. Teacher:
Janeice Robinson; John Klein, The Woodlands Methodist School. Teacher: Shelly VanBenthuysen
Second Prize: Zoey Trulove, Bear Branch Intermediate School. Teacher: Jessica
McKinney
Third Prize: Valentina Gonzalez Lozano, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teachers:
Toni Sommers and Jennifer Mendez-Saldana
Honorable Mention: Citlali Rizo, Gordon-Reed Elementary. Teachers: Toni
Sommers and Jennifer Mendez-Saldana

Grade 7 Winners

First Prize: Trenton Iniguez, Lynn Lucas Middle School. Teacher: Kristi Johnson
Second Prize: Jaycee Gamble, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Third Prize (Tie): Althea Margarette Caras, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Emily
Justice; Raegan Cannon, Lynn Lucas Middle School. Teacher: Kristi Johnson
Honorable Mention (Tie): Fortunato Ortigoza-Calles, Lynn Lucas Middle
School. Teacher: Kristi Johnson; Connor Cheung, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher:
Dara Owen
Staff Favorites: Staff Favorites (Tie): Iris Garcia-Luna, Lynn Lucas Middle
School. Teacher: Kristi Johnson; Melanie Cardenas, Lynn Lucas Middle School.
Teacher: Kristi Johnson

Grade 8 Winners

First Prize: Ann Qi Ong, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Second Prize: Katherine Hu, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen
Third Prize (Tie): Sherry Gao, McCullough Jr. High. Teacher: Dara Owen;
Adeline Chadwick, The Woodlands Methodist School. Teacher: Shelly
VanBenthuysen
Honorable Mention (Tie): Itzel Arroyo, Lynn Lucas Middle School. Teacher:
Emileigh Dean; Lilly Clark, Lynn Lucas Middle School. Teacher: Emileigh Dean

The Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County, Inc. (DRC-MC) is a
non-profit organization that provides and promotes affordable, high-quality dispute
resolution services and training to the Montgomery County area. The DRC-MC
has been helping people with difficult conversations since 1988. For additional
information on DRC-MC’s many programs and services, or to order free laminated
copies of the nine 2024 Bookmark Art Contest winning bookmarks selected for
distribution in Montgomery County, contact the DRC-MC at mediate@mctx.org or
call (936) 760-6914, Ext. 2.

Press Contact Elaine Roberts 936-538-3786 elaine.roberts@mctx.org