Welcome to the WSPTA Reflections program!

Reflections is a National PTA arts recognition program that helps students explore their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence, and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful not only in school but in life.

Students in pre-K through grade 12 create original works of art in response to a theme. The theme for the 2024-2025 program will be “Accepting Imperfection”

Students submit their completed works of art in one or more of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts. While the primary focus of Reflections is a celebration of creativity through positive recognition, finalists from local PTAs will move on to their council PTA (if applicable), then finalists from councils will move on to the state round. Washington State PTA finalists who receive an “Outstanding Interpretation” award will advance to the National PTA round.

Reflections 2024-25 Guidelines for Smith Elementary-

The deadline for turning in artwork to the Smith PTSA Reflections Chair is Tuesday, October 29. We are expecting at least 2 entries per classroom and will be shortlisting 10 entries and 6 Special Artist Entries to send to Council. The Judging will happen in November, and shortlisted entries will be submitted by Chair to Council in November.

  • All submissions will be online. The Student Entry Form will also be an online Form. There is no pdf form to be filled and uploaded this year. Visual Arts and Photography entries will be collected at the time of submission as original artwork will be displayed at the Reception in Jan 24, 2025. 
  • Any entries not as per Competition Rules will be disqualified. Students can submit entries in more than one category.
  • Dance Choreography — Originally choreographed dance composition presented in a video entry
    Film Production — Original works, with or without sound, of animation, narrative, documentary, experimental or multimedia
    Literature — Original works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, drama, reflective essay, narrative or short story. Entries must be a single literary work; collections are not accepted.
    Music Composition — Original musical composition, with or without words, presented in an audio recording
    Photography — Color or black and white. Included techniques: Photogram, panorama, photomontage (one print of multiple original photos), single or multiple exposure, negative sandwich.
    Visual Arts — Drawing; painting in tempera, oil, acrylic, watercolor or T-shirt paints; computer-generated art; two-dimensional collage; printmaking; needlework; leather tooling (see link for all accepted visual art forms). NOTE: LWPTSA Council is accepting ONLY 2D visual art.
  • You can submit your entries via the Reflections Artwork and Student Entry Form or use the Printable Form and email your artwork to reflections@smithptsa.org.

The theme of the 2023-2024 program was "I am Hopeful Because...". Student finalists and a sampling of their work are located on the Student Showcase page.

LWPTSA Council’s 2023-2024 LWPTSA Reflections Winners

Washington State PTA’s 2023-2024 Reflections Finalists (PDF)

National PTA 2023-2024 Reflections Winners (PDF) 

Theme Search 2026-27

Each year, National PTA seeks a theme for the Reflections program year to be held two years from now. The list of finalists for the 2026-2027 program year will be announced in November.

The student who submits the winning entry will receive $100. Their theme will be presented at the annual National PTA Convention in 2025. 

Students should complete and submit this online form by November 4, 2024. (Find your PTA’s 8-digit National ID number in this PDF document.) Past themes and duplicate submissions will not be considered. Each student may submit up to 3 theme ideas, but each idea needs a separate form. Questions about this contest? Email ptaprogdir@wastatepta.org.

 

Questions? Email: reflections@smithptsa.org