REFLECTIONS
It's time, once again, for the annual PTA Reflections program. This program in its thirty-fourth year is one of the best hands-on activities of the National PTA and really is for "everychild.onevoice." Any child from preschool age through high school's twelfth grade who attends a PTA school is challenged and encouraged to produce an original, artistic entry via literature, music composition, photography or visual art. The most imaginative interpretation of a theme through any one of these mediums is the object of the program. This year's theme, submitted by a middle school student, living in North Carolina, is "Signs of Courage".
The deadline to have your projects turned in at Crenshaw is Friday, November 1st.
The PTA will then take on the job of finding impartial judges and recognizing all the children's accomplishments. This judging and recognition will begin at the local school level, then the top entry in each of four age groupings in each of the four arts areas moves on to the Council level, then to the District level, to the State level and finally to the National PTA level. Only the first place winners will move on at each level, but all participating Crenshaw students and their parents will be invited to attend a special reception where all students will be recognized for their entries.
Students can receive a copy of the specific rules and an official entry form on-line at vapta.org. Once there, go to EOffice/Members only, then click on Reflections Handbook. Students can also pick up rules and entry forms in the following locations at school: Photography and Visual Arts forms are in the Art Room (Ms. Shockley), Musical Composition forms are in the Music Room (Ms. Robertson) and Literature forms can be found in the Library/Media Center. There is a drop box for Reflections projects located in the school office and in the school library/media center. Please take the time to follow all rules carefully, as we are disappointed when we have to disqualify any project a student has taken the time to create. Unfortunately, we are unable to forward any disqualified entries to the next level of judging. All Crenshaw students are encouraged to participate.
From last year's "I hold in my hand..." program, Crenshaw PTA had a fourth grade student who received an Outstanding Interpretation Award at the State level (first place) and went on to compete at the National level. It is through the works themselves that you can see the value of having your child, any child, tackle and succeed in producing a Reflections entry.
