Explore the Arts and Express Yourself
This program is for students of all grades and their parents and caregivers.
National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. For over 50 years, Reflections has helped students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boosts student confidence and success in the arts and in life.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of students in pre-K through grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-created theme. In Reflections, students submit artworks in the available arts category areas and program divisions: Primary (Pre-K - Grade 2), Intermediate (Grades 3-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), High School (Grades 9-12), Accessible Arts (All grades welcome).
Each year, a new student-created theme inspires participants in the PTA Reflections program. This year's Reflections theme is "I Belong!," created by Ben Morgan from Lewis and Clark Middle School PTSA in Idaho.
Get inspired and find new ways to think about year's theme with these online articles:
Celebrating 50+ Years of Reflections
Watch and Learn
Enjoy this video showcasing the history of Reflections and the impact the program has had on students, families and communities since the program was founded in 1969.
A Look Into the Past
With over 50 years of history, there is much to learn about the PTA Reflections program. Check out the program's historical timeline and see how far we’ve come since the program was founded in 1969.
From Art to Exhibit
Student winners from the local level have the opportunity to move up through their district, region, council and state PTA programs to the national level. National Reflections winners are announced in May and celebrated throughout the following year. Visit our awards page for information about and artwork from our national winners.
Reflections Awards and Prizes
Each year, National PTA awards over 200 student artists with national-level Awards of Excellence and Merit and honors seven students with the top Outstanding Interpretation Award. National-level winners are announced annually on May 1.
Direct communication is provided to winning student artists by National PTA to share notice of the awards and outline prizes. Based on their award, student artists receive the following prizes:
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Merit Award: Bronze Medal; Certificate of Merit; Work featured in the virtual exhibition
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Award of Excellence: $200 Young Artist Scholarship; Silver Medal; Certificate of Excellence; Work featured in the virtual exhibition
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Outstanding Interpretation Award: $800 Young Artist Scholarship; Gold Medal; Certificate of Outstanding Interpretation; Work featured in the virtual exhibition; $200 Prize for Local PTA Unit
Reflections Review Criteria
Student entries submitted to the national level go through two rounds of review by arts professionals from across the country. In Reflections, judges prioritize the artist's interpretation of the theme, as expressed through their original artwork, title and artist statement.
Including the student's interpretation of the Reflections theme, judges will consider the following criteria during the evaluation process:
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Creativity: How creative and original the piece is in its conception of the theme and its presentation.
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Technique: The level of skill demonstrated in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area.
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Interpretation: How closely the piece relates to the theme, based on the work itself and the artist statement.