Take Action Tag: Award of Excellence – Middle School Division: Grades 6-8

Student Artists from Across California Honored

Media Contacts:

  • Brad Waller, Vice President for Communications, bwaller@capta.org
  • Michelle Eklund, Assistant Executive Director, 951-314-3707 or meklund@capta.org

California State PTA honored student artists of all ages from across California at the 2018 California State PTA Annual Convention. Seven of these talented young artists joined us onstage at the Reflections Art Program award event, held on April 28 in Ontario, to receive their Outstanding Interpretation awards.

From kindergarteners to high school seniors, these young California artists embraced the 2018 Reflections theme “Within Reach” as the inspiration for their Award of Excellence-winning works in dance choreography, music composition, film production, photography, literature and visual arts. Each work originally was submitted to the students’ local PTAs and students were then selected to be honored at the PTA council, district and state levels.

View the award-winning works of art and be inspired by their imaginations here:

Each of the seven California State PTA Reflections Art Program Outstanding Interpretation honorees received a medal, a certificate, a $100 award and a trip to the California State PTA Annual Convention in Ontario to present their work on the big stage during Saturday afternoon’s special event.

“The term ‘Within Reach’ can be understood in many different ways. My interpretation of ‘Within Reach’ was people are always within reach. No matter how hopeless they seem; it’s all about whether or not you’re brave enough to reach out and help them,” said Megan Lee, a student from Rosemont Middle School in La Crescenta (First District PTA).

Lee and the other selected California State PTA Reflections honorees’ works were submitted and reviewed for National PTA’s awards. The National PTA honorees, whose works will be included in a traveling exhibit, have just been announced. Their Outstanding Interpretation honorees – including one from California – will be recognized at the National PTA convention on June 23, 2018. (Click here to view.)

Since its establishment in 1969 by National PTA, the Reflections Art Program has brought the arts to life for more than 10 million students across the United States.

“Reflections is a wonderful program for youth,” said California State PTA Reflections Art Program Chair Lisa Snowiss. “When children participate in the Reflections program, they spark their creativity and self-expression and increase awareness of the importance of arts education at the same time.”

The Reflections Art Program is just one of the many ways PTA focuses on promoting access to quality arts education for all students in California and the nation.

“Reflections is such an amazing program. I love seeing the joy on the children’s faces when they’re up on the stage at convention receiving their award,” said California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald. “Reflections is great for children because it encourages them to express themselves and engage in art activities, plus it promotes arts education and how important it is in the education of all students.”

The national theme for the 50th anniversary Reflections Art Program is “Heroes Around Me” for 2019. Find out more about award entries, guidelines and bringing the program to your school at www.capta.org/reflections.