IPSD Content
Reflections
Congratulations to the following students who progressed to the National PTA level!
Ryan - Neuqua Valley – Musical Composition – “Look Back”
Lauren - Waubonsie Valley – Photography – “Being There for a Friend”
Mary – Granger – Film/Video Production – “Suddenly”
The following students earned honorable mentions in the state competition:
James – White Eagle – Visual Arts – “Planting Beautiful Flowers”
Kathryn – Scullen – Visual Arts – “United as One”
Eshan – Patterson – Literature – “Random Acts of Kindness”
Harrison – Neuqua Valley – Musical Composition – “Life”
Meghan – Granger – Film/Video Production – “Dare You to Move”
The National PTA believes all children deserve a quality arts education and encourages students to pursue artistic expression through participation in its annual arts Reflections Program. The program offers students the opportunity to create works of art for fun and recognition. Students in preschool through grade 12 are encouraged to create and submit works of art in six areas: dance/choreography, literature, film/video, musical composition, photography, and visual arts (which includes art forms such as drawing, painting, print making, and collage). In its more than 30-year history, the program has encouraged millions of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to create works of art. The Reflections Program was started in 1969 by Colorado PTA President Mary Lou Anderson. Her idea was to encourage creativity and art awareness at home and in public school.
Each year a new theme is selected by National PTA and students are asked to interpret that theme in an original work in one of the six art areas listed above. Themes are selected from thousands of ideas submitted by students. Past themes have included "A Different Kind of Hero," "If I Could Give the World A Gift...," "Imagine That..." and "Exploring New Beginnings...." The 2008-09 theme is "WOW!"
A Great Learning Experience
Creating art is a valuable learning process. Artistic exploration and expression enhance and develop intellectual, social, and technical skills. When children express themselves through words, pictures, music, photography, and other art forms, they grow intellectually. They learn to analyze their thoughts, feelings, and ideas; learn to look at things, people, and experiences in a fresh and exciting way; and become more interested in the ideas and works of others. PTA's Reflections Program helps parents recognize and encourage the continuous self-discovery process of their children.
The program is designed to enhance rather than replace a quality arts education. It provides opportunities for students to express themselves and to receive positive recognition for their artistic efforts. Parents, teachers, and community members all play a critical role in fostering a positive learning environment for children. Supporting the Reflections Program is one way adults can help maintain that environment.
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Participation
Judging
Rules
Participation
Students participate in the Reflections Program by submitting entries in early fall to a local PTA or PTSA. A child may submit more than one entry per category and may enter in multiple categories. Check with your school's PTA President or Reflections Chair for entry form, category rules and submission deadline. (Rules are downloadable from this website; entry form may be available on your school's website.) All children enrolled in a District 204 school are eligible to participate.
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Judging
The focus of Reflections is to celebrate creativity in the arts. Every students participating in the program will be honored and recognized in some way at his/her local school. However, some pieces are selected to advance from the school and may progress through levels of PTA until National PTA honorees are determined. Works are judged on artistic merit, creativity and interpretation of the theme. A well-developed concept is more important than the technique. The volunteer judges will have relevant experience in their arts area and judge "blind" so they do not know the students.
In District 204 entries are first submitted to the school in early fall. A specific number of works then progress to the Indian Prairie Parents Council (IPPC) level which is made up of all the schools in District 204. IPPC advances the top entries to PTA District level, comprised of schools in the western half of Dupage County. In late winter, the PTA District forwards works to the Illinois State PTA. By April, the State PTA selects one entry from each category in each division to represent Illinois at the National level. The State PTA awards medals to their advancers and recognizes entries that merit honorable mention. All entries that advance to the State PTA are kept for one year as part of a traveling Illinois Reflections exhibition. By June, National PTA announces their Awards of Excellence in each art area. In addition, up to five Awards of Merit may be chosen in each arts area and grade division. Gifts awarded by National PTA can vary from year to year and there may be sponsor gifts. Certain recipients and chaperones are invited to attend the National PTA conference in June to receive prizes.
Rules
Each category has a specific set of rules. Click on the category to view the rules for that category:
Advanced Students
Congratulations to the following students who progressed to the National PTA level!
Ryan - Neuqua Valley – Musical Composition – “Look Back”
Lauren - Waubonsie Valley – Photography – “Being There for a Friend”
Mary – Granger – Film/Video Production – “Suddenly”
The following students earned honorable mentions in the state competition:
James – White Eagle – Visual Arts – “Planting Beautiful Flowers”
Kathryn – Scullen – Visual Arts – “United as One”
Eshan – Patterson – Literature – “Random Acts of Kindness”
Harrison – Neuqua Valley – Musical Composition – “Life”
Meghan – Granger – Film/Video Production – “Dare You to Move”
The following students advanced to the PTA District 32 level.
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Photography
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Derek
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K
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Clow
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Protect the Cypress Habitat
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Abigail
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1
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Gombert
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Honest & Fair
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Adellin
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2
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Gombert
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Untitled
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Gareth
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3
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Clow
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Remembering
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Matthew
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3
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Clow
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Walking for Aunt Lori
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Alec
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5
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May Watts
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You and Me Can Make a Difference
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Fiona
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7
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Scullen
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Hello Neighbor!
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Sarah
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8
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Hill
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Saving a Life
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Markian
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8
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Hill
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Frog Family
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Lauren
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10
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Waubonsie
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Being There for a Friend
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Visual Arts
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David Jeffrey
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1
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May Watts
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Giving to Others
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Tarun
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2
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Owen
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Planting Trees
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James
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1
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White Eagle
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Planting Beautiful Flowers
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George
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5
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Patterson
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Planting Trees!
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Eshaya
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5
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Patterson
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Donating My Hair
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Corinna
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4
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May Watts
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Respect Yourself, Others, the Environment
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Margaret
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8
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Crone
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I Can Make a Difference
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Armita
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8
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Gregory
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A New Guardian
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Kathryn Lauren
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8
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Scullen
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United as One
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Maggie
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12
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Neuqua
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Fighting for Peace?
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Adam
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12
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Waubonsie
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A Cry for Help!
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Ashley
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12
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Neuqua
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Listen
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Musical Composition
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Michaela
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3
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Clow
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I Won't Let Anyone Throw Garbage in this Stream
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Christopher
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4
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Patterson
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Moods of Music
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Tiffany
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5
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Spring Brook
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The Gift on That Sad Day
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Matthew
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7
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Gregory
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Stop
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Chelsea
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7
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Hill
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Making A Difference Starts with Me: Flute
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Seong Jun
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8
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Scullen
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Attack of the Mutant Pollutant
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Harrison
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11
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Neuqua
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Life
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Ryan
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12
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