Last month, National PTA announced the national winners for the 2022-2023 Reflections program. From nearly 1,000 student submissions nationwide, a total of 223 original student artworks from 39 state PTA congresses advanced through local, regional, state and national-level review to earn national recognition, scholarships and other special prizes.
Inspired by the student-created theme Show Your Voice! the top-scoring works across each division competed for National PTA’s highest honor—the Award of Outstanding Interpretation.
Congratulations to National PTA’s Reflections 2022-2023 Outstanding Interpretation winners Julie Auten, Alice Grieve, Megan Lambert, Nia McKnight, Sarina Policastro, Sebastian Tulin and Minka Van Berkel—let’s get to know these exceptional young creators in their own words!
Music Composition (High School Division) – Julie Auten, “Listen”
Lake Braddock Secondary School PTSA, Virginia
“’Listen’ was created entirely using my own voice (and body percussion) to portray my struggles with self-expression. As a soft-spoken female who’s never been particularly outgoing, I often feel that the important things I have to say are overlooked—that no one’s listening. My piece describes that feeling, how I wish I could communicate, and is itself a statement declaring that I will always fight to be able to show my voice.” You can listen to Julie’s original song here.
Visual Arts (Intermediate Division) – Alice Grieve, “Paved the Way”
Mill Creek Elementary School PTA, Alabama
“This skirt made of ties has the names of brave women who showed their voice by stepping into fields that usually were associated with men, such as math, engineering, science and politics. These women persisted, sacrificed and paved the way for other women to step in those same fields. They made it easier for me to follow my dreams about being a structural engineer for NASA. I left one tie blank, because one day, I hope my name is on there.”
Visual Arts (Special Artist Division) – Megan Lambert, “Hear Me Roar”
Lake Washington High School PTSA, Washington
“This is the story of how I found my voice and expressed it through art. I was born with a learning disability, and I did not fit in well with others. I could not talk or communicate and hid in the shadows of others. I found solace in my art by creating my own worlds. Through the helping hands of my teachers, as time passed, I was able to leap through the steppingstones of life. Art has helped me step from the shadows into a world of expression. My voice yells: ‘My name is Megan. Hear me roar!’”
Dance Choreography (High School Division) – Nia McKnight, “Where Did the Night Go?”
Booker T. Washington HSPVA PTSA, Texas
“I express my voice through dance, in the song Gil Scott-Heron talks about not being able to find the words for a letter to someone he loves. When I can’t find the words to express my opinion, I always find a way through dance. I’ve been generally pretty shy since I was young so voicing my opinion and feelings without talking has always been ideal. That’s part of the reason why I appreciate the art of dance so much. Being able to express yourself through movement.” You can view Nia’s dance choreography and performance here. here.
Film Production (High School Division) – Sarina Policastro, “Amira’s Letters”
Ward Melville High School PTSA, New York
“For a variety of reasons, people are often scared to speak their minds. Some worry about rejection, some worry about offending others, but whatever the reason, many times, the things we want to say go unsaid. This animated film explores the things we would say if we weren’t afraid, and the ways our lives could change if we had the confidence to ‘show our voices’ and tell people the way we feel.”
Photography (High School Division) – Sebastian Tulin, “The Runner Triumphant”
Winston Churchill High School PTSA, Maryland
“Freedom, joy, pain, exhaustion and triumph are the result of countless hours spent working to become the very best. This photo encapsulates the eruption of emotion one feels when all of their work and effort finally pays off; when success is reached; when they know that challenging themselves again and again and again was worth it. These raw emotions can come with any passion. For me, it is photography. Through photography, I have learned how to express my emotions and my ideas. When people see my work, they hear my voice.”
Literature (Primary Division) – Minka Van Berkel, “The Girl Who Was Loud Even Though She Didn’t Speak”
A.P. Willits Elementary School PTA, New York
“My story is about a girl who doesn’t speak up in the first place, but people still get to know her. Mindy shows her voice through her actions. Once she realizes that people still got to know her by watching her actions and that they liked her for who she was, she felt more confident to speak up.”
Congratulations again to Julie, Alice, Megan, Nia, Sarina, Sebastian and Minka! National PTA will honor these seven young creators during the 2023 National PTA Virtual Convention and will publicly air the celebration during the “2022-2023 Outstanding Interpretation Winners Celebration” event, to air via National PTA’s YouTube channel on Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. EDT.
We will continue to celebrate these students and each of this year’s national-level awardees throughout the year ahead! Visit PTA.org/ReflectionsAwards for the complete list of 2022-2023 national-level awardees and the official National PTA Reflections Awards announcement.
The full collection of National PTA award-winning artworks is available for viewing online at the 2022-2023 Reflections Virtual Gallery Exhibit. Enjoy scrolling through images of student art and performance, read student writing, learn about the inspiration behind their creations and listen to full-length music tracks of this year’s national-winning composers.
Are you inspired to create? The 2023-2024 Reflections program is up and running! Visit your state PTA’s Reflections program page to learn more.
Cathleen O’Malley is the National PTA Arts in Education Fellow.
