Second grader Michael O’Connor thinks it would be really strange if his friend moved to the sun and he could visit him by climbing a ladder made of cold stars. Fifth grader Vicki Moses thinks it would be really strange if a flea could dance and sing. First grader Brent Atkinson thinks it would be really strange if there was a cure for his diabetes.
We owe the pleasure of these diverse and imaginative ideas to the Parent Teacher Association National Reflections Program, an extracurricular yet educational program. Through Reflections, students interpret themes with original writing, photography, drawings, paintings, or musical compositions. Colorado PTA President Mary Lou Anderson established the Reflections Program in 1969. Since then, students have artistically interpreted thought-provoking themes like “Anything is Possible,” “Dare to Discover,” “Suddenly You Turn Around And…” and “If I Could Give the World a Gift.”
Each year, the National PTA selects a theme from thousands of student suggestions, and students submit their artistic interpretations of the theme through their schools to local PTAs. Local PTA volunteer chairpersons coordinate the entries’ judging by experts in the artistic categories. Students win first-, second- and third-place winners for each artistic category and for each grade division—primary (grades K-2), intermediate (grades 3-5), middle/junior (grades 6-8) and senior (grades 9-12). The entries are then judged at district, state and national levels.
Not just another contest
Reflections may seem at first glance like just another scholastic contest in an already over-competitive learning environment, or an exclusive showcase for gifted students. A closer look at the program’s philosophy and processes reveals that it’s more than that. The program’s goal is to encourage students to express themselves through art by recognizing their efforts at local, district, state and national levels. Winners at each level receive special recognition and awards, and national winners may receive scholarships and monetary awards. However, the PTA encourages participation by honoring all students who enter in a variety of ways.
The district PTA in Farmington, Michigan, like most district and state PTAs, recognizes all participants as well as winners. During a school board meeting, all participants receive certificates of recognition, first-, second- and third-place winners receive medals, and winning entries are displayed. At the state level, students attend a ceremony to honor winners and participants. “We try to make it really special for the kids,” says Michigan PTA Reflections Chairperson Susan Brattina, explaining that all participants accept their awards individually on stage during the ceremony, and their entries are projected on a screen or played during their acceptance.
Jeanne O’Connor, Reflections chairperson for Gill Elementary School in Farmington, notes that students benefit from the recognition they receive, but awards are not their primary concern. She should know; her responsibilities include promoting student, teacher and parent awareness of the program, since participation is entirely voluntary. Even though Reflections is offered through local PTAs, which are part of school districts, it’s still an extracurricular activity. Some teachers offer extra credit for participating in the program, or provide class time to work on entries, but students themselves must decide to participate. O’Connor promoted Reflections in Gill’s lunchroom and at parent-teacher conferences, and never once mentioned awards, yet still received 50 entries, up from 30 last year.
Aimee Ergas, PTA Reflections chairperson for the Farmington school district, says that the program’s extracurricular nature provides a unique advantage for participants. “It gives kids a chance to be creative on their own outside of school,” she says. Ergas also notes that Reflections prompts students whose curriculums don’t afford room for artistic classes—especially middle- and high-school students—to cultivate their artistic talents.
A forum for self-expression
In addition to the recognition it provides students and its unique extracurricular-yet-school-related nature, Reflections also provides a forum through which students express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise remain hidden. O’Connor, whose two sons have submitted entries in several categories over the past years, says that her son Timothy’s literature entry provided insight into his feelings about a sick family member. Timothy’s entry expressed his wish that his nana would be magically cured so that he could spend more time with her. O’Connor says she didn’t realize how the situation was affecting him until she read the entry.
Brattina echoes O’Connor’s sentiments: “I think the greatest benefit is … their expression,” she says. She adds that the program’s open-ended themes provide opportunities for students to stretch their imaginations and interpret ideas in a variety of ways. “You can just take the ideas and run with them. And some minds run a little further than others,” she says.
National PTA Representative Claudia Soldano says that the program’s themes challenge students to be original. “Today it is very easy to copy works of art, but to create something from one’s own inner resources gives the student an opportunity to grow artistically as well as develop intellectual, social and physical skills,” she says.
Getting involved
Because Reflections is an extracurricular program, parents’ involvement is crucial to its success. Levels of involvement range from chairing local and state projects to simply encouraging children to submit entries and praising their efforts. The best way to encourage students to participate in Reflections is to provide them with the time and resources they need, such as cameras, musical instruments, computers and other tools that pertain to the four categories, Brattina says. Teachers can also encourage participation by discussing the program in class, providing incentives like extra credit or even making it part of their curriculums. O’Connor adds that just talking about the theme can spark students’ ideas. “It just inspires their imaginations,” she says. “If you get excited about it, they get excited about it.”
To find out how you can get involved in Reflections or to volunteer to be a chairperson, contact your school’s PTA. You can also visit the National PTA site for more information about the program and to view an online gallery of award-winning Reflections entries from past years.
Pamela A. Zinkosky is a freelance author. She judges Reflections Program entries for Gill Elementary School in Farmington, Michigan.