Reflections Art Contest

Let your creativity shine!  All LCE students are invited to explore their creativity and submit original artwork for the 2024-2025 Reflections arts recognition program.  This year’s program theme is “Accepting Imperfection”  The Reflections program is a national arts recognition and achievement program for students. Since 1969, over 10 million students across the nation have taken part in this popular PTA program that is open to students of all grades and abilities.

The Reflections program provides an excellent opportunity for students of all ages to:

• Unleash their creative talents and be inspired

• Express themselves imaginatively in their artwork

• Experience the joy and fun of making art

• Tap into critical thinking skills to create art inspired by the annual theme

• Receive positive recognition for their original works of art

Arts Categories

Your child can submit in any or all of the following categories (please refer to the official rules for descriptions of each category): 

Dance Choreography              Film Production

         Literature                     Music Composition

      Photography                           Visual Arts

Divisions

To allow student artworks to be recognized and judged with the appropriate developmental age and skill levels in mind, the Reflections Program is organized by school grade, offering five divisions, of which four are open to LCE students:

• Primary – Preschool-Grade 2
• Intermediate – Grades 3-5
• Middle School – Grades 6-8
• Special Artist – All grades.  Students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 may enter in the Special Artist Division or grade division most closely aligned to their functional abilities. The Special Artist Division welcomes all grades and all abilities and offers non-artistic accommodations for students to participate fully in PTA Reflections.  Please refer to the official rules for Special Artist Division entry requirements.

Review Criteria

Student submissions will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Interpretation: How closely the piece relates to the theme, based on the artwork 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.

DEADLINE Friday October 25, 2024

All entries are due by Friday October 25, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. sharp, submitted through this link: this link. Please ensure that each entry includes its own student entry form (required). 

Rules and Entry Forms

All students must complete the student entry form.  Here are the official rules.

Dance Choreography
Solo and ensemble works of all dance styles are accepted. Entrant must be the choreographer and may also be the performer, or one of the performers. If background music is used, cite it on the entry form. Video file must not exceed 5 minutes in length and 1,000 MB (1,000 megabyte) in file size and be in MP4 or AVI format.

Film Production
Accepted short film styles include: Animation, narrative, documentary, experimental or media presentation. Use of PowerPoint is prohibited. Entrant must be the screenwriter, cinematographer, editor and producer. If background music is used, cite it on the entry form. Video file must not exceed 5 minutes in length and 1,000 MB (1,000 megabyte) in file size and be in MP4 or AVI format.

Literature
Accepted forms of fiction and nonfiction include: Prose, poetry, reflective essay, screen play and play script, narrative, and short story. Entrants may write in their primary language as long as an interpretive English translation is also attached. Use of copyrighted material is prohibited. Writing must not exceed 2,000 words and may be handwritten or typed. Accepted formats: Single-sided print on 8 ½x11” paper, PDF file.

Music Composition
All music styles and combinations of instrumentation are accepted. Entrant must be the composer and may also be the performer, or one of the performers. Use of copyrighted material is prohibited. Audio recording must not exceed 5 minutes in length and 1,000 MB (1,000 megabyte) in file size. Accepted audio file formats include: MP3 and WAV. Notation (score/tablature) in PDF format is only required for middle and high school divisions.

Photography
Photo must be a single print/digital image. Collages and collections of photos are not accepted. Entrant must be the photographer and may use a variety of digital editing techniques including but not limited to, multiple exposure, negative sandwich and photogram. Use of copyrighted material is prohibited. Print image dimensions must be no smaller than 3x5 inches and no larger than 8x10 inches. Accepted print formats: Mounted on mat or poster board no larger than 11x14 inches. Framed prints are not accepted. Digital image dimensions must be at least 640x960 (pixels) and 300 dpi (resolution). Accepted file formats: JPEG, JPG, and PNG.

Visual Arts
Works of both fine and design arts are accepted, including but not limited to: architectural drawing and models, ceramics, collage, computer generated images and graphics, crafts, drawing, fashion clothes and jewelry, fiber work, mixed media, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Use of copyrighted material is prohibited. 2D artworks must be mounted on sturdy material and no larger than 24x30 inches with matting. Framed entries are not accepted. Include one digital image of artwork with your submission. 3D artwork submissions must contain 3 digital images of artwork at different angles. Image(s) are used for artwork identification, judging and exhibition purposes. Accepted file formats: JPEG, JPG, and PNG.

Special Artist
Students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 may enter in the Special Artist Division OR grade division most closely aligned to their functional abilities.

School Awards

All LCE students who participate by submitting an entry will receive a special treat in October after the submission window closes. In addition, students who place 1^st or 2^nd at LCE in their categories will receive certificates of achievement. The 1^st place winners will also receive gift cards.  Winners will be announced in November.

State and National Awards

Reflections is a nation-wide arts appreciation and recognition program for students sponsored by the National PTA.  The program is structured for PTAs to recognize students at the school, council, district, state and national PTA levels. To take part, student entries are first recognized, judged and celebrated by their school.  Selected entries are then chosen to represent the PTA at each subsequent level (council, region, state).  Once entries reach the state level, the state PTA may select entries to submit to the National PTA.  Student artwork submitted to California State PTA by a district PTA will be considered for an Award of Excellence and an Award of Merit.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Wen Reese-Hicks and Billie Melillo at reflections@lcepta.org

***Deadline for Reflections Program entries is Friday October 25, 2024***