Girdwood 7th Grader's Peace Poster Rises Up

Aria Rice’s Peace Poster Award. She won our local Girdwood Turnagain Arm Lions Club competion in November 2025 as well as the statewide competition. Her poster is now in the international competition with winners being announced in February.  (Photo courtesy of Lions Club)

By Skogen Swygman

TNews Contributor

When local middle schooler Aria Rice's art class gave an assignment last fall to make peace posters for the 2025 Lions International Peace Poster Contest, Aria took up the challenge. 

Aria found out last Friday that she won the statewide competition and will find out in February whether she won the international competition. 

Going with this year's theme of "Together As One", Aria designed a poster that included flags as well as people of many cultures together in one image. 

Aria's poster was among 600,000 entries submitted worldwide in the annual peace poster contest. 

¨It started as something simple but then I found myself working for hours on it at home,¨ said Aria. 

When asked how her poster might symbolize a need for world peace, Aria said, ¨I feel the world is really divided. I think if we come together, we can really accomplish some really awesome things,¨ she said. 

¨I never thought I would get a chance,¨ Aria said after being asked about her reaction when the news was broken to her. ¨I was, like, super excited and ran up the stairs and was, like, freaking out!¨

(Cub Reporter Skogen Swygman is a 7th grade student who authored the article about fellow 7th grade student Aria Rice’s Peace Poster award)