National PTA’s Reflections Program
BRINGS ART TO LIFE ACROSS THE NATION
REFLECTIONS: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ARTS
“I am Hopeful Because…”
That’s the theme for the 2023-24 Reflections Art Program, which has been bringing the arts to life for more than 10 million students since 1969. California State PTA and its members, families and kids are on the forefront of this amazing program, which increases community awareness of the importance of arts in education.
Reflections encourages students of all ages to:
- Unleash creative talents and be inspired
- Express themselves imaginatively in their artwork
- Experience the fun and joy of making art
- Tap into critical thinking skills to create art inspired by the annual theme
- Receive positive recognition for their original works of art.
Click here to see the California winners of the 2022-2023 Reflections Art Program.
PARTICIPATION IS EASY, EXCITING AND EMPOWERING
All students attending PTA schools sponsoring the program are invited to participate and submit original artwork in one of six areas:
- Dance Choreography
- Literature
- Photography
- Film Production
- Music Composition
- Visual Arts
Artworks are submitted first to school-level PTAs, where they are first recognized, celebrated and judged by five grade-level divisions, the Special Artists division celebrates student artists with special needs. School PTAs then choose a selection of entries to be judged by local PTA units, which are then sent on to councils and then districts for consideration. The final artworks submitted to California State PTA by districts are then considered for Outstanding Interpretation, Awards of Excellence or Awards of Merit. Outstanding Interpretation and Award of Excellence entries then go on to represent California in the final National PTA judging round.
State-level Outstanding Interpretation honorees receive:
- Onstage recognition at the California State PTA Annual Convention
- The opportunity to showcase their artwork at the California State PTA Convention Reflections Gallery
- Prizes including an Outstanding Interpretation plaque, award and certificate
State-level Award of Excellence honorees receive:
- The opportunity to showcase their artwork at the California State PTA Convention Reflections Gallery
- Prizes including an Award of Excellence medallion, award and certificate
State-level Award of Merit honorees receive:
- The opportunity to showcase their artwork at the California State PTA Convention Reflections Gallery
- Prizes including an Award of Merit medallion and certificate
National-level Outstanding Interpretation honorees are recognized at the National PTA Convention, plus their artwork, along with any National Award of Excellence and Merit winners, are featured in Reflections’ popular traveling national exhibit. See the winners.
For detailed information just for PTA Leaders on this topic, visit the Leaders’ Website.
Please visit the following link for updated 2023-2024 rules per category: https://capta.org/resource/reflections-materials-for-ptas/ Please make sure to review the rules per category. If you are submitting photography or visual arts the work needs to be printed and mounted and then submitted to the box in the library.
***Students are not allowed to access the digital form via Canvas because a parent signature is required. They can submit the digital form from a different computer with their parent signature.
They are also able access the paper Reflections Form which will need to be printed and signed by parents in order for students to participate. A drop-off box will be available for students to submit completed forms at the Newhart Library.