Reflections Arts Program
Encourage creativity and lifelong learning while offering recognition for artistic endeavors. The National PTA Reflections program is designed to enhance quality arts education for students in preschool through grade 12.
This program allows students to submit various forms of art such as Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts for judging starting at the local level. Student winners from the local level have the opportunity to move up through their district, region, council and state PTA programs to the national level. National Reflections winners are announced in May and celebrated throughout the following year, starting at National PTA’s Convention in June.
Questions? Contact Reflections Chair Dr. Acquilla McCoy at acquillamccoy@gmail.com.
“Accepting Imperfection“
2024-25 Reflections Winners:
We had a record number of Reflections entries this year!
Enzo M, 12th grade, Film Production, The Death of the Artist, Award of Excellence, 1st Place at Wake County Competition, now moves to State competition
Accepting your imperfections is a journey every artist must endure. This short film highlights the concept that the most authentic art comes from within, whether we intend to be vulnerable or not. In this project’s climax, the protagonist cries watercolor paint onto a canvas after reaching her breaking point. Crying is a natural human occurrence that society has often taught us to be ashamed of, representing an element of human imperfection. However, this “imperfection” results in a painting that is most authentic to this burnt-out artist. Similar to tears, authentic art only originates from the heart, soul, and mind.
Vivian O, 12th grade, Music Composition, BeYOUtiful Voice, Award of Excellence, 1st Place at Wake County Competition, now moves to State competition
“BeYOUtiful Voice” is a composition that celebrates the beauty of non-verbal communication, inspired by a girl with Rett Syndrome who speaks through her eyes and expressions. The song embraces the theme of accepting imperfection, revealing that true connection transcends words and conventional forms of expression. It honors the power found in every human experience, showing that imperfections are not weaknesses but unique strengths. Through this composition, beauty is seen in what is often overlooked, and even the quietest voices can resonate with profound meaning and purpose.
Anastasia B, 10th grade, Visual Arts, Urges, Award of Excellence
My drawing shows a fish with a human face consuming a fluid by passionately sucking it off of a humanoid creature’s thumb. The fish accepts the risk that the humanoid might hurt it, and gives into its urge to feed. Teenagers and other people alike suppress their true desires and feel ashamed of urges they have, and in this drawing the goal was to show an entity which let go of all shame and fear, and gave into those urges. It’s accepting its imperfection – its imperfection of having natural human temptation. The eyes are there to represent the stigma surrounding said urges and to highlight the creature’s indifference to them.
Kayli B., 11th grade, Visual Arts, “Built from the Same Dirt”, Award of Excellence
My piece represents bringing ethnicities together, I incorporated a family chart with 2 different skin tones without eyes or mouths meaning “see no evil speak no evil” because we are quick to stereotype people based on what we see. The big face represents a single person can be mixed with a lot of ethnicities.The hand, peace sign and cross are wrapped around in the ear because we hear about peace and making a difference but we tend to rely on letting “faith” play a huge part instead of actually doing something about it. The doll house scenes represents community places.
Joshika M, 10th grade, Visual Arts, A Study in the Un-Golden Ratio
My work is a digital artwork centered around various things considered “imperfect”. The face is “incomplete”, only coloured in areas that bring attention to common insecurities and distorted to represent body dysmorphia. Golden crack-like lines cover the face, inspired by Kintsugi, the Japanese art of accentuating breaks in pottery. The broken “golden ratio face” as a mask represents breaking free of the standard of perfection, and the narcissus flowers represent self-love despite it all. The word art was something I kept because I simply wanted to add my own touch despite seeming on-the-nose.
Gwyneth O, 9th grade, Photography, Beauty of Shifted Shapes, Award of Excellence, 1st Place at Wake County Competition, now moves to State competition
Through glasses of water, the world bends and shifts, revealing the beauty in imperfection. What seems distorted is simply a new way of seeing, a reminder that flaws create depth, character, and unique perspectives. Just like the glass refracts the image behind it, life’s imperfections shape us, showing that clarity doesn’t always mean perfection. In accepting the distortions, we embrace the true essence of what makes us whole, authentic, imperfect, and real.
Savon M, 10th grade, Visual Arts, Imperfect, yet perfect eye, Award of Excellence
The reason I have chosen the human eye with a collapsed iris is that, even in such a state of no normality to other eyes it is still perfect in it’s own way. The iris looks like land in a way with a dark sky, so I drew it as such. Mountains in the collapsed with the night sky. I used lead pencil, colored pencils and ink to draw the collapsed iris and the landscape. The image came from a photograph I searched because eyes are all different. The sky patterns and eye are perfect in life by being what some see as imperfect. Yet perfect in my eyes.
Kevin Nolan, 12th grade, Visual Arts, Photography, Through the Sky and Night, Award of Excellence
There is always a pressure to present yourself in the best way possible and to care about what others think. Being authentic is the most important part though, and the car presents itself in this way through its history while also being cared for.
“I Am Hopeful Because…”
2023-2024 Reflections Winners:
We are excited to announce the winners for Reflections of Art 2023-24 for our Jaguar family.
This year we had two students to represent our school at the State level which are Freshman, Savon McCoy for Photography and Junior Saraahi Shroff for Visuals Arts. Both students created pieces based this year’s theme, ” I Am Hopeful because…”
They captured the essence of celebrating life to depict the beauty of existing in harmony. We applaud them both for leading the competition as our 1st place winners at the school level.
*****To honor their efforts and celebrate their school win, we recognized them at our January 30th PTSA meeting.
Congratulations again to Savon and Saraahi! We are very proud of you and know this is just the beginning of your many wins in life! First place school level winners for Photography and Visual Arts!!!
Contact Dr. Acquilla Faye acquillamccoy@gmail.com for questions about the Reflections program.
Saraahi Shroff
11th grade/Visual Arts
Materials:
– Art Paper
– Acryllic paint/markers – pencil
Title: The Power of Youth
I am hopeful because youth can change the world and make Earth green again!
Savon McCoy
9th Grade/Photography
Size 24×16
Title: The Beautiful Sunrise
I am hopeful because each sunrise is another day for living and an opportunity to have a great day!
