Students can express fine arts interests in National PTA Reflections

MADISON – Paint a portrait. Dance a routine. Play a trumpet. Film a hometown video. Write an intriguing short story.

The National PTA Reflections, a contest to celebrate the fine arts, wants students to participate with a submission to spotlight their talents.

With its continuing commitment to arts education, National PTA sponsors Reflections as a venue to access the arts and boost a student’s self-confidence. Each year, 300,000-plus students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 create original works of art related to the current theme. Reflections helps youth to explore their own thoughts and ideas to develop artistic literacy.

Students can submit their work in one (or all) categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts.

“I Will Change the World By . . . “ is the 2021–2022 theme for Reflections. Each student can decide on an interpretation of that idea.

Each campus of Madison City Schools has Reflections material in-house or online at the school website. Visit Reflections’ virtual art gallery at PTA.org/Reflections/Awards.

Winners at the local level in Madison schools can advance through district, regional and state PTA contests to the national level. Several Madison students ranked among the state’s top entries for 2020.

Deadline for this year’s submissions is Oct. 14, 2021.

In another Reflections option, a student can suggest a theme for a future Reflections contest. Officials will choose one student’s theme, which will inspire the creativity and imagination of thousands of students across the country and in U.S. schools overseas.

Reflections officials will select only five state finalists to advance to the national round. In February 2022, the national winner will be announced. The winner’s theme will be used the year after next (that is, the theme is chosen two years in advance).

In deciding on a suggested theme, students should find a unique entry that is unlike past program themes. The theme should focus on an idea – not too narrow and not too broad. The idea should be clear and appropriate for all ages.

In addition, the theme must apply to all Reflections categories and promote PTA values. Students should email entries no later than Nov. 1, 2021 to alptareflections@gmail.com.

For more information, visit the Alabama PTA’s material about Reflections at alabamapta.org/reflections.