Reflections

What is Reflections?

Reflections is an Art Recognition program put on by National PTA every year. The program helps students Pre-K through 12th grade:

• explore their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas
• develop artistic literacy (by describing how their art relates to a theme)
• increase confidence
• find a love for learning that will help them become more successful not only in school but in life.

Every year a theme is chosen from student submissions, then students make originally art in response to that theme.

The 2026-2027 theme is “What My Culture Means to Me”

Categories

A student may submit an original work of art in any of the following categories

• Literature – works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, drama, short stories and lyrics.
• Music Composition – original musical composition, with or without words.
• Photography: color or black and white, included techniques: photogram, negative sandwich, and multiple exposure.
• Visual Arts: drawing, painting in tempera, oil, acrylic, watercolor & t-shirt paints, computer generated art, two-dimensional collage, printmaking, needlework & leather tooling.
• Film/Video: original works, with or without sound, of animation, narrative, documentary, experimental or music video/film.
• Choreography/Dance: originally choreographed dance composition.

Works of art are judged against other works from students in the same age division. Age divisions at Frost are:

• Primary: Pre-school – Grade 2
• Intermediate: Grades 3 – 5
• Accessible Arts: Students with a disability as defined under ADA (American Disabilities Act)

Submitting an Entry – Submissions due to Frost PTA November 2nd

Student’s entries must adhere to the criteria of the guidelines for their chosen medium (linked below). Student’s names should not be visible anywhere on the work, or spoken or displayed within the medium.

Submission Dates

November 2nd – Submissions due to Frost PTSA

November 9th-13th – Local PTSA judging

November 16th – Frost PTSA Winners submitted to Council for Council level judging.

Entry Requirements

• Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the current year’s theme may be submitted.
• Each entry must be the original work of one student only. Only one student may be recognized as the award recipient for each entry. An adult may not alter the creative integrity of a student’s work. Because the program is designed to encourage and recognize each student’s individual creativity, help from an adult or collaboration with other students is not allowed except in the Accessible Arts Division. Other individuals may appear in or perform a student’s work, but the work itself must be the creative product of one student only.
• Each entry must contain a title, and all entries must include an artist statement. The artist statement communicates what inspired the work, how it relates to the theme and the content of the work. The statement must include at least 10 words and not exceed 100 words.
• Digital technology and/or software can be used to develop, enhance and/or present an entry but may not provide the primary design and/or concept. Entrants must use the “Additional Details” field to provide a brief description of the tools and method used in the creation process, including any generative elements (10 to 50 words).

Category Guidelines

• Dance Choreography Category Guidelines
• Film Production Category Guidelines
• Literature Category Guidelines
• Music Composition Category Guidelines
• Photography Category Guidelines
• Visual Arts Category Guidelines

Submission to Frost PTSA

All submissions to Frost PTSA will be digital and should be uploaded no later than November 2nd to the Reflections Frost PTSA Google Drive.

Submissions must include the Submission Entry Form. These will be available in the Front office beginning October 13th as well as online. Submission links will be posted closer to the submission deadline of November 2nd.

Physical works of art should be kept in display condition as winners will be displayed at various events and may need to be displayed if it moves on to State. Artwork should be kept in the same condition as the digital representation submitted to Frost PTA. Artwork that is not kept in the same condition will not be able to move on.

Judging

Judges will be reviewing all works of art virtually for both the local PTA and the Council PTA level. Judges will be community members, or individuals that specialize in the various categories. Judges will not be staff/faculty/parents of Frost Elementary.

Judging criteria

All PTA Reflections program entries are judged on three criteria.

• Interpretation of Theme (40 pts.): How closely the piece relates to the theme, based on the artwork
  itself and the artist statement.
• Creativity (30 pts.): How creative and original the piece is in its conception of the theme and its
  presentation.
• Technical Skill (30 pts.): The level of skill demonstrated in the basic principles/techniques of the arts
  area.

Other Dates

January 7th: Council Winners Announced

January 21st: Reception/Recognition – LWSD Resource Center

January 21st-27th: LWSD Resource Center Open House – Reflections Artwork on Display during Resource Center open hours

March: WSPTA Announces State Winners

For more information, visit https://www.wastatepta.org/programs/reflections/