How to Participate in the 2024-2025 Reflections Program

Read and follow the official program rules of participation for each category, which can be found below. Be sure to read all program and category rules carefully.

New starting in 2024-25: Only students that attend a school with a PTA/PTSA may participate.

Electronically submit students’ art works together with completed & signed 2024-2025 Reflections Entry Form to reflections@alcottptsa.org by the deadline of October 21st, 2024. 

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25th

Key Dates 

October 21st, 2024 (Extended to October 25th):  Deadline for Alcott Elementary students to electronically submit entries to reflections@alcottptsa.org

Oct/November 2024: Alcott PTSA judging process 

End of November:  Date for Alcott Elementary winner's announcement (please note scores and judging notes will not be shared)

January 2025: Lake Washington PTSA Council winner's announcement

March 2025:  Results of WSPTA Reflections competition announced

May 1st, 2025: Results of National PTA Reflections competition announced

Reflections Categories and Divisions

Participation is organized by student age and grade levels. Student works are critiqued against others in the same grade division. The grade divisions for Alcott Elementary School students are: Primary (K-2) and Intermediate (3-5)

Young artists get involved through their local PTA or PTSA. A student may submit an entry in any of six arts areas. Only original works of art are accepted. The six art areas are:

• • Literature: works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, drama, short stories and lyrics.
  • Music Composition: original musical composition, with or without words.
  • Photography: color or black and white, included techniques: photogram, negative sandwich, and multiple exposure.
  • Visual Arts:  drawing, painting in tempera, oil, acrylic, watercolor, and more.  LWPTSA is only accepting 2-D artwork. 
  • Film/Video: original works, with or without sound, of animation, narrative, documentary, experimental or music video/film.
  • Choreography/Dance:  originally choreographed dance composition.
  • Accessible Art Division:  The National PTA accessible art division is an option for students with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Generally, rules and guidelines within this division are intended to ensure accessibility to the National PTA Reflections® program and are modeled after the guidelines outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Complete details are included in the Accessible Arts Guidelines

Carefully read the rules for your category, linked above. 

Tips and Judging

Judges will consider the following criteria:

• Interpretation: How closely the piece relates to the theme, based on the work itself and the artist statement.
• Creativity: How creative and original the piece is in its conception of the theme and its presentation.
• Technique: The level of skill demonstrated in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area.

Judges strongly consider the interpretation of the Reflections theme during the evaluation process. It is suggested that students give their submissions a title that stands out and describes how the piece relates to the student’s personal interpretation of the theme. The following guiding questions can be useful when developing a title and artist statement: 

• How does your work relate to the theme?
• What is your personal connection to the theme?
• What did you use to create your work (e.g., supplies, technology, instrumentation, props, etc.)?
• What/who was your inspiration?

Specifications for the 2024-25 Program

If entries advance to National PTA, the physical artwork will be collected and must meet these criteria!

Visual Arts – 3D art is not being accepted this year; only 2D entries are allowed. Examples of 3D: architecture carpentry, ceramics, jewelry, kites, dioramas, mobiles, etc.

Visual Arts – 2D: size and thickness

Photography: minimum and maximum sizes of photo

• •  Maximum size is 24” x 30” (includes matting).
  •  Thickness is ½” (includes matting) It is no longer 3/8”.
  • Photo + Mat is no bigger than 11” x 14”

Music, Film and Dance: Rules still have CDs and DVDs as an option for submitting entry. It is hard to find CD and DVD players these days. So, USBs are preferred. 

Preparing/Verifying Entries

1. “Content rules” must be followed or the entry is disqualified – if local PTA has questions or can’t determine if the content complies with the rules, you may be asked to submit the physical art piece (for example, if it looks like a painting may have 3-D elements that make it more than ½” thick, or a photograph that might be a collage vs. a photo montage).
   
   
2. “Packaging Rules” (plastic sleeves and labeling of visual arts/photos) will only need to be followed if an entry is selected to go on to National PTA, and some “packaging rules” (multiple printed copies of literature entries, thumb drives for music/film/dance) may not be relevant at all this year!
   
   
3. Please take good care of your artwork as it may be requested/required to be submitted for entries that are advancing! It will need to be in the same form it was in when the digital image was submitted in October!