High school students gain honors in Reflections arts contest

Top-placing Madison students in the National PTA Reflections program for 2013 are shown here. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Madison teenagers producing top entries in the 2013-2014 National PTA Reflections recently were announced.

Students choose from six art categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition and visual arts. The national Reflections theme was “Believe, Dream, Inspire.”

“And inspired, they were,” Reflections co-chairperson Gun Abele said about the outstanding work. “Many judges were amazed at the students exploring the theme and interpretation … let alone the talent in their category.”

Melissa Laughlin also served as Reflections co-chair.

In film production, Kyle Sander earned first place with “Dreams – A Study.” Curran Hyde took second place for “Everyone’s A Genius.” They are sophomores at Bob Jones High School.

In literature, Bob Jones’ junior Michael Samaras won first place with “Handy-Capped” and senior Megan McDowell was second with “Aspirations of an Eleven-Year-Old.” Sophomore Kayla Braxton from James Clemens High school was third for “Remember Mankind.”

Bob Jones sophomore Mikayla Jones (“Mikayla’s Life Story”) and James Clemens junior Rachel Breece (“The Littlest Blade”) earned honorable mentions.

James Clemens junior Jesse Hartfield was first in musical composition with “Inspirations on Cloud 9.” Also recognized were senior James Eaton, second, Bob Jones, “Church Time”; junior Phuoc Nguyen, third, James Clemens, “Anything is Possible”; and junior Victoria Van, honorable mention, Bob Jones, “Untitled.”

The top photography honor went to freshman Hannah Zbuchalski of James Clemens for “Pixie Dust.” In second place, freshman Bryce Johnson from James Clemens entered “Be Bold and Stand Out.”

In another honor, Victoria Van placed third in photography with “Walk the World.” Freshman Kaitlin Runnels of James Clemens received an honorable mention for “Remain.”

In visual arts, junior Abigail Howland was first-place winner for “Dreams Take Flight.” Other awards went to Bob Jones senior Paige Koesters, second, “A Night in Iceland”; James Clemens freshman Rebecca Thomas, third, “Seven Billion”; and Bob Jones senior Thomas Baldwin, honorable mention, “Cerebral Collage.”

Reflections volunteers have shipped first-place winners’ work for state judging. All students will be recognized at an awards ceremony at James Clemens on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m.