Join the Educate Fairfax Bookmark Art Contest!
- Brian Tinsman
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Some of the most important journeys in a young person’s life begin quietly, with a book.
It might start with a story read before bedtime, a classroom novel that sparks curiosity, or a trip to the library that opens a door to something entirely new.
Those moments of discovery are more than just reading practice. They build imagination, confidence, and the habits that shape future leaders.
That simple connection between reading and opportunity is the inspiration behind this year’s Educate Fairfax Bookmark Art Contest, built around the theme “Today’s Reader, Tomorrow’s Leader.”
Across Fairfax County Public Schools, students are invited to design a bookmark that reflects what learning, creativity, and leadership mean to them.
A bookmark may be small, but it carries a big idea. It holds your place in a story. It reminds you to return to a book. And sometimes, it marks the moment when a student begins to see themselves as something more: a thinker, a problem solver, a leader.
Through this contest, Educate Fairfax hopes to celebrate that spark of imagination.
Students can create their designs using crayons, markers, colored pencils, or paint, filling a bookmark-sized space with artwork inspired by the theme.
Whether the design features books, symbols of learning, or a simple message about the power of education, each bookmark offers a chance for students to show how they see the connection between reading and their future.
When the submissions arrive, our team will look for designs that show creativity, originality, and a clear connection to the theme. We’ll also be paying attention to the effort students put into their work and the big ideas they bring to life in their designs. 
Four winners will be selected from across grade levels, ensuring students of different ages have the opportunity to be recognized. Their winning bookmarks will be printed and shared throughout schools and the community, turning student creativity into something that inspires others to pick up a book.
Each winner will also receive a $25 gift card as a small thank-you for their creativity and effort. 
Students can submit their artwork through several simple options, including mailing it, emailing a scanned version, or asking a teacher to send it through school mail.
Entries are due by Friday, April 17, and winners will be announced later in April. 
At Educate Fairfax, we believe every student deserves a path to success. Sometimes that path begins with a classroom lesson, a caring teacher, or a community that believes in them.
And sometimes it begins with something as simple as a book that sparks curiosity and a bookmark that reminds them to keep turning the page.
