Barnesville Student Recognized for Award-Winning Bookmark Design

Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences is proud to celebrate Carina Araujo, a talented 8th grade student whose artwork has earned statewide recognition this fall.

Carina’s artwork was awarded First Place in the Sixth–Eighth Grade Category of the Maryland Judiciary’s 2025 Conflict Resolution Day Bookmark Art Contest, a highly competitive program that drew more than 4,000 student entries from across the state. Her winning design will be printed as an official Maryland Judiciary bookmark and distributed throughout Maryland to promote the importance of conflict resolution, understanding, and peaceful problem-solving.

Carina and her family were invited to the awards ceremony on December 15 at the Maryland Judicial Center in Annapolis, where she was recognized by Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader, Justice Brynya Booth, and former Chief Justice Joseph M. Getty.

This achievement follows another exciting milestone: Carina was also named a winner in NOAA Fisheries’ 2025 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Art Contest. Her artwork, highlighting Atlantic swordfish and billfish conservation, is featured in the 2026 NOAA calendar and included in a recognition package sent to her by NOAA Fisheries. The contest promotes awareness of sharks, tunas, swordfish, and billfish—and Carina’s piece stood out for both creativity and scientific attention to detail.

These awards add to Carina’s growing artistic résumé. Last year, her drawing on the theme of a Livable Planet was selected for inclusion in a World Bank coffee table book, Visions for a Livable Planet, showcasing young artists who imagine a sustainable global future.

At Barnesville School, we celebrate students who use their talents to inspire and educate others. Carina’s work reflects not only technical skill, but also a deep curiosity about the world—its systems, its challenges, and its potential for peace and sustainability. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and grateful to her teachers and family for nurturing her creativity.