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Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Project Rainbow initiative have announced the winners of the first Bookmark Design Contest for the 2025–26 school year. The contest, held in celebration of National Book Month, encouraged students in grades K–6 across Cook County to create original bookmarks reflecting themes of books, reading, and community pride.
The winners are Myra M. for grades K–3, Ava P. for grades 4–6, and Zoey F-P., who received an honorable mention. Each winner was awarded a Kindle ColorSoft Kids reader, a certificate recognizing their achievement, and a Project Rainbow T-shirt. They were also honored with a resolution from the Cook County Board at its October meeting.
The winning designs will serve as the official bookmarks of Cook County for the upcoming school year. These bookmarks are currently on display as stand-up banners in the lobby of the Cook County Building throughout October and are featured on the Project Rainbow website. The artwork can be viewed at projectrainbow.cookcountyil.gov/bookmark.
“We’re proud to celebrate the creativity of Cook County’s young artists,” said President Toni Preckwinkle. “There were so many wonderful submissions from students across the County. Their designs remind us of the joy of reading and the importance of supporting literacy and imagination in our communities.”
“This contest continues Project Rainbow’s mission to inform, inspire and impact Cook County’s youth and families in creative and imaginative ways – this time in a way that connects learning with civic pride,” said Project Rainbow Creator Nick Shields. “We’re thrilled to see how students across the County showcased their brilliance by embracing this opportunity to express themselves through the worlds of literacy and art.”
Project Rainbow was established by Cook County to address early education challenges that became more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers free early childhood programming and educational media through various platforms including TV broadcasts, a mobile app, and partnerships with local institutions.
More information about Project Rainbow initiatives is available at https://projectrainbow.cookcountyil.gov.
