Reflections Program:
PTA Provides Arts Experience for Children

The annual PTA Reflections program 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, visual art, dance choreography or film/video production. The most imaginative interpretation of a theme through any one of these mediums is the object of the program. Click here for the current year theme.

PTA schools throughout Virginia will announce the theme and encourage every child who wants to have a little fun to produce an entry. The children while working on their own Reflections entry will experience several good practices of learning applicable for their school lessons in other subjects.

1. They will set their own goal.
2. They direct and do all necessary processes to reach their goal.
3. They learn to value themselves in reaching the goal.
4. They learn to stick with the activity until the goal is completed.
5. They discover their own 'voice' and standards of knowledge.
6. They develop communication skills in expressing what they need in the way of time, space and materials to realize their ideas.

Adults need to stick close to the children to give them the time and the space, as well as help out providing materials for the realization of the child's idea. These adults may be parents, teachers, mentors or any one who wants to help children succeed.

To receive further information or specific rules and the parameters of each of the four art mediums, contact your local school's PTA/PTSA. The school's Reflections Committee will also have the deadline date for turning in the child's completed Reflections entry. Most local deadlines will be from the beginning through the middle of November. The PTA will then take on the job of judging 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 six arts areas moves on to the Council level, then to the District level, to the State level and finally to the National PTA level.

Visit the State Reflections Gallery. Visit National PTA Gallery to view and/or hear the state entries.

Contact the Arts In Education Chair: artsineducation@vapta.org