Supporting Arts Education through PTA’s School of Excellence Program

September 14, 2023 By Leave a Comment

National PTA believes that all students deserve the opportunity to take part in high-quality arts programming. Through the National PTA School of Excellence program, PTAs can support this effort by making a commitment to enhancing and improving arts education access and programming in their school and community.

National PTA’s Schools of Excellence have a history supporting the arts in their school communities, with the 2022-2024 Schools of Excellence making their own mark on this important work.

Eden Gardens Magnet Elementary, Louisiana

Using the School of Excellence program to identify opportunities for continued development, the Eden Gardens PTA School of Excellence Team focused their Excellence Action plan on ways to reignite the National PTA’s Reflections program in their school, driving inclusivity in arts education and supporting student talent. With a new focus on improved program promotion, the PTA used various communication methods, including social media, newsletters, and flyers, to promote the program.

Standing out as best practice in their work, Eden Gardens PTA focused on an alignment between Reflections and an existing student leadership development program to gain school support. Recognizing implicit connections between the programs, the Excellence Team used their improved communication strategies to explain the common goal of helping students and families achieve student success in all areas of their lives.

The PTA used Reflections to elevate the creativity of Eden Gardens students, celebrating and recognizing their artistic talent. This gave students positive reinforcement that their artistic talents are essential to their growth and development into future leaders.

Eden Gardens PTA hopes to continue intertwining Reflections into the school’s academic programming and noted that the School of Excellence program offered a great a way to structure and advance the PTA’s goal of recognizing student creativity as one of their many strengths.

Bransford Elementary School PTA, Texas

To advance and support the arts in their community, Bransford Elementary PTA focused on enhancing family-driven arts programing and opportunities for students in every grade level. By supporting campus-wide arts initiatives, the Bransford Elementary PTA efforts would reach as many students as possible.

Bransford Elementary PTA’s Reflections program was highly successful and had a wide reach in their community. The PTA received 15 Reflections submissions, seven of which were recognized at the district level, and three went to the state competition! From across the district, their elementary campus had the most submissions recognized at the state-level showcase. The PTA also supported school-based arts programming, like the Orff Ensemble, which went on to be one of only two elementary schools to perform at the state-level music convention.

Additionally, Bransford Elementary PTA supported the schoolwide musical, with the Excellence Team pointing to the musical as part of their arts integration programming. The musical, which was open to every child, boasted 182 participants, which is nearly half of their student population. With so many ways to be involved in the musical, the PTA encouraged family engagement. From building sets, sewing costumes, volunteering time or donating financial resources, the musical programming brought together families who were all willing to contribute towards building students’ artistic success.

Recognizing the impact their focus on arts integration has had on family engagement and student success, the PTA intends to continue their work on promoting and supporting the arts, utilizing the $48,000 they raise through fundraisers to continue arts integration into the school’s curriculum. Ultimately, Bransford Elementary PTA is confident that their investment in enhancing and funding the arts will serve to build even more comprehensive arts programs for the students in their community.

Desert Willow Elementary School, Arizona

The Desert Willow Elementary PTA collaborated closely with their administrator to support and enhance the arts through the PTA Reflections program. Along with hosting and promoting Reflections, the PTA coordinated supporting events and opportunities that further integrated the arts into their school and larger community.

The PTA worked with teachers to encourage their inclusion of Reflections art projects in their classrooms that focused on the program theme “Show Your Voice!” This increased student participation in Reflections. By making Reflections and the arts part of everyday school life, the PTA ensured that all students had the resources and time to create art and, most importantly, have their creations celebrated and exhibited through their PTA Reflections Night Celebration. 

The Reflections Celebration had further benefits of enhancing the PTA’s community partnerships and relationships. The event was highly musical, with performances from a local high school jazz band and a local symphony. The most highly praised musical component was a “musical instrument petting zoo” where a locally owned music store allowed students to try out different instruments. The “petting zoo” had a line from the beginning to the end of the event!

The celebration also fostered family engagement with an emphasis on bringing the arts to school and back home. Through a collaborative art project, students and families created a peace sign display that hung in the school cafeteria for many weeks as a reminder of the event and its impact on the community. To further the family engagement at home, students were given art kits that included supplies for additional art projects, as well as a musical shaker to experiment with rhythm and music.

By the end of the school year, Desert Willow Elementary PTA saw an increase in positive responses to the School of Excellence program survey, and they credit the outcomes to their highly impactful arts programming. The results highlighted how the arts integration programming increased the PTA’s role as a central figure in their community and as a partner to local community groups and businesses. The PTA emphasized this greater sense of community as one of the most valuable takeaways and plans to continue their focus on the arts.

Moving forward, the PTA intends to explore ways to solve transportation issues for after school music clubs, continue with the Reflections program for a second year, fix the school’s broken kiln and look into scholarships for after school drama and art programs.

Advancing in the Arts in Your Community

These spotlights are only a fraction of the immense work accomplished by Schools of Excellence and their investment in the arts. If you’re interested in advancing the arts in your community, check out all the available resources from National PTA at PTA.org/ArtsEd. Then, take it up a notch by getting your own PTA involved with the School of Excellence program! You can use your ideas and passion for the arts, as well as National PTA programs like PTA Reflections, to achieve the designation and gain recognition for the work your PTA does to bring the arts to your school! Local PTAs can enroll at PTA.org/Excellence until October 15.

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Meet Paige Opaska—the 2024-2025 Reflections Theme Search Contest Winner! 

February 14, 2023 By Leave a Comment
PTA Reflections

Every year, National PTA invites students across the PTA member network to participate in the annual Reflections Theme Search Contest—a national competition to select an original and inspiring theme for the upcoming Reflections year. We are so pleased to announce the winner of the 2024-2025 Reflections Theme Search… drumroll please! 

Congratulations to Paige Opaska, an 8th grader from Barbara Bush Middle School PTA in San Antonio, Texas, for her winning theme, “Accepting Imperfection.”  

Paige’s theme was selected from nearly 100 student submissions across 20 State PTAs, with reviews conducted by the National PTA board officers and programs committee. As the Theme Search Contest winner, Paige will receive $100 from National PTA and national recognition throughout the year.  

“Accepting Imperfection” will serve as the inspiration for hundreds of thousands of students across the country and in U.S. schools abroad as they create original dance choreography, film productions, music compositions, photography, literature and visual art as part of the 2024-2025 Reflections program. 

Paige described her theme in this way: “‘Accepting Imperfection’ is a reminder to myself that mistakes are welcome because they are a part of being human. Our flaws are as much a part of us as our strengths, so being imperfect should be perfect enough for us.” 

Texas State PTA leadership, Paige’s middle school principal and special guests surprised her with a weeknight Zoom call Jan. 18 to announce that her theme had been chosen as the national winner.  

The announcement included Michelle Jackson, Texas PTA, Executive Director; Carrie Mays, Texas PTA, Programs Manager; Melinda Samberson, Texas PTA VP Programs and Resources; Risa Ginther, Texas PTA Arts in Ed Chair; Ana-Maria Morales, President, Barbara Bush Middle School PTA; Lettie Galarza, Barbara Bush Middle School PTA, Reflections Chair; Rodolfo Salinas, Principal, Barbara Bush Middle School; Kate Patterson, North East ISD Council of PTAs, Arts in Education; and Debbie Weissmuller, North East ISD Council of PTAs, President. Thanks to Paige’s mom, Kristen Opaska, for helping coordinate the big reveal—check out those smiles! 

The “Accepting Imperfection” theme was a strong favorite among National PTA’s Theme Search review panel, with one reviewer noting that the theme “allows students room to show vulnerability, a willingness to address failure and move on, promotes empathy and a pro-mental health mindset.”  

In addition to participating in the theme search competition, Paige is one of the hundreds of thousands of students across the country who submitted artwork for the current year’s Reflections 2022-2023 program, inspired by the theme, “Show Your Voice!” When asked for advice to other young artists looking to develop their creativity, Paige replied: 

“I’m involved in a lot of different clubs within my school, including band and sports, so my advice would be, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take advantage of opportunities you are given.”  

The current 2022-2023 theme, “Show Your Voice!” was submitted by 2021 Theme Search winner Jason Yevin from Salk/Macarthur PTSA in New York State. Regional and state submissions for the current year are ongoing, with national winners to be announced May 1, so mark your calendar! 

Next year’s 2023-2024 Reflections program theme, “I Am Hopeful Because...” was composed by Alice Meko of Hampton Cove Elementary School in Alabama during the 2022 Theme Search.  You can learn more about Alice’s theme idea in this blog post. Stay tuned for the program launch at PTA.org/Reflections and then look for more information from your participating state PTA. 

Students from PTA member schools can help shape the future of the Reflections program by participating in the annual Theme Search Contest. We welcome your creativity and imagination! Visit your state PTA’s Reflections Program page to learn more.  

Cathleen O’Malley is the 2022-2024 National PTA Arts in Education Fellow. 

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National PTA Continues Celebration of “I Matter Because…” Reflections Artists

January 20, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students across the country and in U.S. schools abroad participate in the National PTA Reflections program. By creating opportunities for recognition and access to the arts, Reflections boosts student confidence and success, both in the arts and in life.   

In response to an annual student-selected theme, students can submit artwork in the categories of Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography and Visual Arts. The program also offers the Special Artist Division, which recognizes students with disabilities who participate.  

As a tiered arts recognition program, student submissions can earn awards and prizes at the local, county, district, region levels. Winners from these levels then move on to the state PTA level. Finally, winning artworks from the state level proceed to the national level, where students can receive the Award of Merit, Award of Excellence, or the highest honor—the Outstanding Interpretation Award—for their artistic achievements.  

On Tuesday, Jan. 25, National PTA will host a Virtual Reflections Student Arts Showcase to continue to celebrate the over 200 national-level awardees from the 2020-2021 I Matter Because… program. As students and their creative talents are essential to the Reflections program, the event will feature more artwork and more students than ever before, with 22 student highlights! We are so excited to recognize all of our winners again and share the creative accomplishments of our featured artists with you.  

Top left – Anna Xie, Award of Merit in Visual Arts, Georgia
Top middle – Alea Garner, Award of Merit in Dance Choreography as a Special Artist, Utah
Top right – MaeLee Scoville, Award of Merit in Literature, Utah
Bottom left – Minjae Eum, Award of Excellence in Music Composition, Alabama
Bottom middle – Josh Devaney, Award of Excellence in Film Production, New Jersey
Bottom right – Trisha Shrestha, Award of Excellence in Dance Choreography, Washington

For a sense of the fun to come, we would like to introduce you to a selection of the featured students.  

Campbell Brown is a dancer from Russom Elementary PTA in Georgia. She won the Award of Merit for her Dance Choreography piece, “Shine Bright.” Dancing brings Campbell joy, and she likes to spread that positivity with others. In her own words, she explains, “I know that I matter because when I bring joy and happiness to others through my performance it makes the world a better place.”  

Tanishka Gupta won the Award of Merit for her poem, “I Matter to Me.” From Round Rock Senior High PTA in Texas, Tanishka shared that writing helps her express her ideas about sensitive subjects and “paint a picture with words.” The inspiration for her award-winning poem draws from the key points of individuality, self-worth, and uniqueness. Tanishka notes, “my true worth always has and always will lie inside me.”  

This year’s Reflections Student Arts Showcase will also highlight Boston Flake from Hobble Creek Elementary PTA in Utah, who won the Award of Merit for his music composition piece, “Bit Life.” (He also won an Award of Excellence during the I Matter Because… program for his literature piece, “I Can Do Anything!”) Boston, a blind DJ and music composer, has produced music for many years and performs in front of big crowds. He shared, “That is one way to show that I matter, by lifting others with my talents.” 

Want to hear from more talented student artists? Join the Reflections community and celebrate students’ creativity during the 2022 Virtual Reflections Student Arts Showcase at 7:00 PM EST, Tuesday, Jan. 25! The event will air on National PTA’s YouTube channel. RSVP in advance to receive free Reflections-inspired activities, including an interactive game to play along with us during the event.  

If you can’t wait until Jan. 25 to view artwork from inspiring student artists, visit this virtual collection, which features the 200+ national Reflections winners from the 2020-2021 I Matter Because… Reflections program. Take a moment to view these students’ remarkable creative achievements and feel free to leave a comment or two!  

We also invite you to learn more about the top seven I Matter Because… Outstanding Interpretation awardees by reading a recent blog post and watching the award video. Congratulations once again to the recipients of the Outstanding Interpretation award: Claire Moon, Johan Novak, Joshua Johnson, Maeryn Elizabeth Jacob, Mark Wagner, Sydney Ware and Zoe Caraballo. 

For more information about the Reflections program, please visit PTA.org/Reflections.  

Sarah Scalet is the National PTA Arts in Education Fellow. 

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National PTA Celebrates Look Within Reflections Artists

February 5, 2021 By Leave a Comment

For over fifty years, the National PTA Reflections program has provided opportunities for recognition and access to the arts, which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life. The arts program honors student creativity through six Reflections categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts. 

In response to an annual theme, thousands of students across the country and in U.S. schools abroad submit artwork and can be recognized with awards and prizes at the local, county, district, region and then state PTA levels. Just over 200 students are recognized at a national level for their artistic achievements in the arts each year.   

At the national level, students can earn an Award of Merit, Award of Excellence, or Outstanding Interpretation Award. Each year, National PTA typically honors the national winners and their artwork with in-person events—including the Student Arts Showcase at the U.S. Department of Education. This year, due to COVID-19, National PTA hosted its first-ever Virtual Reflections Student Arts Showcase.  

Held January 26, the digital event brought Reflections supporters together to celebrate the national winners from the 2019-2020 Look Within program. The Showcase featured one national winner from each Reflections category and our Special Artist Division.

Representing the Dance Choreography category, Jacob Valadez kicked off the featured student artist performances. Jacob’s dance, “Look Within Yourself Be Unstoppable,” expresses the value of personal strength. Although life can be hard, Jacob demonstrates that everyone can be unstoppable by looking within and never giving up. We are grateful he shared this powerful sentiment with us. 

After Jacob, we enjoyed Matthew Bang’s visual arts piece, “I Realize and Recognize.” As the featured Special Artist, Matthew’s painting depicts his family’s Korean heritage and his own identity as a Korean American. Matthew shared, “Art is a form of expression. It allows me to convey emotions that are too difficult to express in words alone.” His detailed visual arts piece beautifully communicates a vast depth of meaning! 

Jiya Bhavsar wowed us with “Struggling Within Me.” Through her piano performance, Jiya represented the music composition category and showcased the power of perseverance. She explained, “I look within when I feel like ‘I give up’ and then I say, ‘Try again.’” We are all inspired by Jiya’s tenacity. 

As the featured artist for the photography category, Barbara Exilus’s photograph “Look Within” depicts the pressure that many young people feel when trying to achieve unrealistic beauty standards and social norms. Barbara shared, “I want my artwork to speak and touch people in any way it can.” Barbara truly conveyed a compelling message through her photograph. 

Melissa Qiu, the featured artist for the literature category, impressed with her poem, “Breaking the Silence and Filling the Minds.” Her writing details the beauty of the zither, which, Melissa shares is a “a very magical and traditional musical instrument because it has allowed me to look within myself and my Chinese culture.” We appreciate Melissa’s creative use of language to bridge musicmaking and her ancestral heritage.  

As the representative of the Visual Arts category, Katie Ross Nelson shared her wearable sculpture. Meticulously constructed, “The Swan” dress showcases fashion as a means of self-expression. Katie found inspiration from actor Billy Porter, who, by wearing a dress to the 2019 Oscars, “flipped the stereotype and made the dress a symbol of inner strength.” Thank you, Katie, for sharing your compelling work of art with us. 

The last featured artist, Dayton Kress, closed out the show with his film production. Titled “Within Us All,” Dayton demonstrates the power of compassion. He shared, “It is important to understand that we can all lift each other up in times of need. We all go through things, and sometimes we just need a little support along the way.” Dayton’s film shares a timeless message—be kind to one another!  

As our hosts for the evening, Leslie Boggs, National PTA President, and Nathan R. Monell, CAE, Executive Director of National PTA, expressed the value of the arts in a student’s education—especially in the era of COVID-19. Bonnie Carter, the Group Leader of Arts in Education Programs for the U.S. Department of Education, shared a congratulatory message to all Reflections participants. The Department of Education is a valuable supporter of the Reflections program, and we thank Bonnie for joining us virtually!

Our celebration of the arts continues with a virtual exhibit featuring the 200+ national Reflections winners from the 2019-2020 program. Take a moment to view the remarkable creative achievements of our program participants, ranging from detailed paintings in the visual arts category to graceful dance choreography movements. The artwork may encourage you to Look Within!  

Visit PTA.org/Reflections to learn more about Reflections and share your artwork with @NationalPTA using #PTAReflections. Missed the Showcase? Find the full program on National PTA’s YouTube channel. 

Sarah Scalet is the National PTA arts in education fellow. 

Collection: 2019-2020 Look Within National PTA Reflections Award Recipients (flickr.com)

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We Have a Winner! The Reflections Program’s Annual Theme Search is Complete

January 31, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Did you know that students develop the Reflections program’s annual overarching theme? Each year, students from across the country and in U.S. schools abroad submit theme suggestions for a future Reflections program cycle. The Reflections Theme Search Contest’s winning theme goes on to inspire thousands of student artists. 

We are excited to announce that Jason Yevin, a 10th grader from Salk/Macarthur PTSA in New York, is the 2022-2023 Reflections Theme Search Contest winner! The 2022-2023 Reflections program theme will be … [drumroll please] … ‘Show Your Voice!’. Congratulations to Jason! 

To determine the 2022-2023 Reflections program’s theme, students submitted their most inventive ideas to their State PTAs. State PTAs then submitted up to five finalist themes to National PTA. In total, over 80 students from 20 states participated in the 2022-2023 Reflections Theme Search Contest. National PTA volunteer leaders led the judging process, and they faced the challenging task of selecting a winning theme that was unique and inspiring, and that promoted PTA values.  

‘Show Your Voice!’ rose to the top because of its relevance today and continued importance into the future. Jason explained the inspiration for his theme submission as follows:  

“Show Your Voice is a reference to what the year 2020 has become. At the time of writing the phrase, the Black Lives Matter protest was huge, and so was wearing masks during COVID-19. The phrase represents talking over the masks and it represents that the protesters showed their voice in what they believe was right and fair.” 

Volunteer leaders from New York State PTA, Nassau Region PTA and Salt/Macarthur PTSA came together (in a socially distant manner), to surprise Jason with the news that he had won the National Reflections Theme Search Contest!  

In honor of Jason’s great accomplishment, he will receive national recognition and $100 from National PTA. During the 2022-2023 Reflections program, we look forward to seeing Reflections participants’ creative work inspired by ‘Show Your Voice!’ With his winning submission, Jason joins the ranks of just 54 students who have shaped the future of the Reflections program by determining the theme that guides an entire program cycle.  

Currently, the theme, ‘I Matter Because…’, is inspiring Reflections participants. In the fall of 2018, Rylee Stier, a first-grader from Burney Elementary School, submitted the theme for the 2020-2021 Reflections program after drawing inspiration from the devastating California wildfires affecting her community. With the call for meaningful steps to dismantle structural racism, ‘I Matter Because…’ has taken on new meaning and an even greater opportunity to engage and elevate the voices of students of color.  

In fact, National PTA has launched a new initiative to invite Reflections artists of color and their allies to share artwork that expresses and affirms their beliefs and identities. Select works will be used to help us celebrate diversity in the arts. Please share this opportunity with young artists in your state and upload artwork to this Google Form by March 1, 2021. National PTA will announce our national winners on May 1, 2021 and celebrate artwork inspired by ‘I Matter Because…’ through July 2021. 

We encourage all Reflections supporters to help shape the future of the Reflections program by participating in the annual Theme Search Contest. Visit your state PTA’s Reflections Program page to learn more about the Reflections program and the complete list of past themes. 

And don’t forget to share your artwork with @NationalPTA using #PTAReflections! 

Sarah Scalet is the National PTA arts in education fellow. 

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Celebrating Arts & Humanities through the School of Excellence

September 23, 2020 By Leave a Comment

National PTA and the School of Excellence program recognize that schools and PTAs can take an active role in supporting of arts education. Throughout the country, arts education programming is being slashed, leaving all students, artists or not, without a creative outlet to explore their own experiences and identities.

Understanding this, some of our School of Excellence participants take up the mantle of supporting the arts in their school communities no matter how difficult. In honor of their hard work and Arts & Humanities month, let us explore how some of the 2019-2021 School of Excellence designees used the arts to enhance their family-school partnerships.

Centerville Elementary PTA, Utah           

Centerville Elementary PTA’s School of Excellence team, in collaboration with a group of parent advocates, chose to focus on increasing student access to the arts. Centerville Elementary PTA’s work demonstrates not only a dedication to the arts, but a dedication to their community. Their work in supporting the arts was in direct response to several parents who advocated for students to have an art program at Centerville Elementary.

The Excellence Team set to work early in the year, meeting to share ideas, set priorities, and discuss available resources. Their first task was to create a choir program. The Excellence team sent out an interest survey and received a huge response in favor of the choir program.  Close to 100 students joined the choir program (approximately ¼ of the student population) and had a phenomenal experience. The program truly brought to life the idea of family-engagement, with several parents volunteering with the program including the choir teacher, a parent who is also a highly qualified choral instructor. The choir put on a very well attended concert at the end of the school year that brought many parents and families that typically did not attend school events.

 

In truth, family engagement was incorporated into all the work Centerville Elementary PTA did. The PTA relied on their parent volunteers to weave arts education throughout the school. For example, one volunteer recognized the waste of a classroom set of ukuleles that had been left sitting in a storage room at the school. The parent coordinated Monday morning ukulele classes. The classes held an array of participants from the principal to the custodian to a technology specialist. The parent volunteer taught these school leaders to play the ukulele in hopes that they would then be able to bring the instrument to students in the school. And they did just that during the school talent show on the last day of school.

Grafton Village Elementary School PTA, Virginia

Grafton Village Elementary School PTA also focused on supporting the arts in their school community. Their work, in fact, likely could not have been as successful if it were not for their work with community members. Recognizing a lack of art supplies, the Excellence Team and PTA partnered with a local organization to run a successful art fundraiser. With assistance from the school art teacher, students created visual art pieces that could be transformed into a variety of keepsake items that parents could purchase. The funds raised through this went directly to the art teacher at Grafton Village Elementary School which allowed her to purchase more art supplies like clay, paint, and markers for her classroom. Recognizing that not all parents could choose to purchase the keepsakes, the art teacher allowed all students to take their original pieces home so all students could feel a part of the fundraiser.

In another example of community engagement, the PTA partnered with a local boy scout troop and had an Eagle Scout candidate build shelves in the art room for his Eagle Scout project.  The PTA paid for all shelving supplies, while the Eagle Scout candidate provided all the labor and construction. The end result was a beautiful set of shelves to display and dry student’s artwork.

Finally, the Grafton Village Excellence Team partnered with middle and high school students and parents to host a very successful talent show. Student and parent volunteers came to the after-school rehearsals and helped prepare talent show participants so they could shine in the final performance. During the night of the show, volunteers helped to welcome families, hand out programs, serve refreshments, and take photos so participants could remember the night. The final talent show, and all the support from volunteers, highlighted the deep commitment Grafton Village Elementary had not only for supporting the arts, but also further integrating their PTA into the school and local community.

Four Corners PTA, WI   

Four Corners PTA’s greatest accomplishment in strengthening family-school partnerships was the creation of a series of unique art focused activities that helped deepen the PTA and community’s connection to the arts. Four Corners PTA began by hosting a Create Art Night, a new activity for school, with the goal of inviting students and their families to school to create holiday gifts. The event was free to attend and included dinner which severed well over 100 people from the school community.

Four Corners PTA and the school music teacher also partnered with Little Opera of the North to give students the opportunity to perform in an opera. All of the students in the school, Pre-K through fifth grade, watched the final afternoon performance. Parents, families and community members were invited and enjoyed watching the students perform as well. The opera show was a first for many and provided the community with a new way to experience the arts. This was not the only event Four Corners PTA hosted that brought together their community through the arts. One of the art teachers at Four Corners volunteered to lead a Cookies and Canvas night at school for students and family members. Moms, Dads, Aunts and Grandmas followed step-by-step instructions provided by the teachers to create beautiful take home paintings.

The PTA also sponsored events just for the student community. The Spring Fever Family Dance Party was hosted by volunteer parents, including a local DJ and a dance instructor. Between the DJ and the instructor, students learned dances and were helped to feel more comfortable on the dance floor. The PTA also sponsored a weeklong Artist in Residency program as part of their interactive learning initiative. Working with two puppet artists from ArtStart, all grade levels made puppets and participated in a puppet performance piece. The event concluded with an evening puppet show for families that included a free dinner.

The Excellence Team at Four Corners PTA truly saw the benefits of their investment. Their focus in family engagement changed the school community by increasing student, teacher, family and community participation in the family-oriented art events that we held. The PTA saw an increase in membership, volunteers and attendance at school events. Through their focus on community and the arts, more people in the community know and understand the PTA’s mission “to make every child’s potential a reality.”

These are just a few of the School of Excellence designees who made huge strides in embedding arts education into their school communities. If you’re interested in advancing the arts in your community check out all the available resources from the hosts of Arts & Humanities and our partners at Americans for the Arts here. You can also read and download our ArtsEd Guide which provides useful ways for PTAs to explore the arts and incorporate them into their school programming.

And don’t forget to get involved with the School of Excellence program! You can use your work to advance the arts to become a School of Excellence and gain recognition for the work your PTA does to bring transformative family engagement and the arts to your school! Enroll here by October 15 and support the arts in your community!

By: Ellie Miller, Reflections Specialist

 

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Arts Enhancement Grant Awards Local PTAs

March 2, 2020 By Leave a Comment

National PTA’s Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant awards two local PTAs $1,000 in matching funds for student-centered programs that increase access to high quality arts learning experiences and new pathways for students to participate in National PTA’s Reflections program

Last year, through the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant application, PTAs shared their plans to deliver high-quality arts education activities in the literary, media, visual and/or performing arts.

We were so excited to select Anderson Mill Elementary PTA in Texas and Reese Road Elementary School PTA in Georgia to receive the award in 2019, and we were even more impressed with the fantastic work the two PTAs did with the grant funding. Check out their stories below!

Reese Road PTA – Columbus, Ga.

In November, Reese Road PTA hosted a Fine Arts Extravaganza, a free event for their whole community. The event was supported visiting artists, high school volunteers and employees from the local library and museum.

It was an incredible success, with over 300 people in attendance! Families were able to explore the arts together throughout the school, with an exhibit displaying student artwork in the gym and a snack station in the school café. At the many stations hosted throughout the evening, attendees were able to make buttons, necklaces, keychains, origami and illuminated sculptures. Attendees were able to work with their families at the stations to experiment with new creative processes and mediums.

Katrina Long, Reese Road Principal said, “All of the smiles made me happy! The students, teachers, parents and grandparents were so excited to play with the different media and see all of the beautiful artwork that the students worked so hard to create!”

The event also highlighted STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) programming in the Reese Road’s curriculum. Event participants were able to get hands-on understanding of how students apply art and creativity to their learning process. This gave parents and guardians insight into their student’s school, alongside the students, while also emphasizing the importance of arts in education.

Reese Road PTA leaders also made sure to encourage student participation in the Look Within Reflections program and hope to see some of their submissions win on the state and national level. As a Title I school with a diverse school population, many of whom receive free and reduced lunches, Reese Road Elementary School PTA was able to use the Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant to truly bring the arts into education.

Anderson Mill Elementary PTA – Austin, Texas

In order to thoroughly incorporate arts education into their school, Anderson Mill Elementary PTA chose to host several events and activities throughout the school year. Melissa George, Anderson Mill Elementary PTA President explained, “Our activities and events are spread throughout the entire school year in order to cover all of the art categories celebrated in the Reflections program. For many, seeing or hearing the word ‘art’ usually brings to mind the visual arts—people forget that there is so much more, and it has been exciting to have this opportunity to help expand awareness and knowledge in these areas.”

Using the Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant as support, the Anderson Mill Elementary PTA partnered with school personnel to develop art education programming that would bring the school’s diverse community together, while exposing students and community members to the arts. Thus far, Anderson Mill PTA has hosted three events that incorporated arts education into the programming—the Multicultural Celebration, the Fall Family Art Night, and the Fall Carnival.

Leadership pointed to the Multicultural Celebration as their most successful event yet. At the celebration, students were exposed to the unique cultures in their community and were able to explore the many artistic sides of those cultures. Families were asked to share cultural dances and artwork from home to display and educate the community. The celebration event also had cultural arts stations that allowed students to make their own take-away artwork. Stations included henna art, Chinese calligraphy, papel picado, Dias de los Muertos masks and more. The event was so well-attended that the PTA plans to host a similar event in the spring.

Anderson Mill PTA believes their work to implement the Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant has boosted awareness of the PTA and helped strengthen relationships with diverse communities. With a high percentage of low-income families and English language learners, their work made families more aware of the PTA and the services they provide to their community. Through their hard work and the Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant, Anderson Mill PTA was able to bring families and students together in a unique and impactful way.

Congratulations, once again, to Reese Road PTA and Anderson Mill Elementary PTA! You can learn more about the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant at PTA.org/ArtsEd.

 

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National PTA Celebrates the Heroes Around Us All

February 29, 2020 By Leave a Comment

National PTA’s Reflections program has helped students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life. Each year, over 300,000 students participate in Reflections in response to the annual theme.

On Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education hosted the National PTA Reflections Student Arts Showcase & Exhibit Opening, honoring the over 200 national winners from the 2018-2019 program year.

During the hour-long program, the 2018-2019 theme, Heroes Around Me, was reflected through performances and features in all of our categories: Photography, Visual Arts, Literature, Music Composition, and Film Production. Heroes to these students included parents, siblings, public workers, farmers, teachers, troops and even animals!

Our first featured artist was Beckett Bayan. Beckett composed a piece of music for the violin called “When Blue Butterflies Take Flight Again,” which is about endangered butterflies in his hometown in California. Beckett’s mom says that Beckett composed his first piece of music in the first grade for a Reflections project, and he hasn’t stopped writing music since!

Next we heard from Benjamin Breaux, the featured artist for the Special Artist division. Ben is a non-speaking autistic and uses a letterboard to communicate. Ben wrote a poem inspired by his mom, who he says, “supports others in so very many ways and always makes those she is supporting feel like heroes themselves.” Ben’s message was moving and we’re so grateful that he shared his powerful words.

The featured film producer was Sarah McFeely, whose film is entitled “Part of Something Bigger.” Sarah’s grandmother worked for NASA! She helped to secure funding for the Manned Space Flight mission – truly part of something bigger. Sarah says, “Having the opportunity to submit to competitions like PTA Reflections also encourages me to continue my artwork and find creative outlets throughout the year.” Thank you, Sarah!

Aditi Gokhale, featured literature winner, then shared her poem “The Unseen Heroes.” Her poem is about honeybees and relates the hardworking bees to the unnoticed heroes in our midst! Firefighters, police officers, teachers, inventors and parents are all heroes to Aditi, and she says their work often goes unnoticed. Aditi asks us to appreciate those hard workers and to acknowledge that there is a hero in all of us. Thank you, Aditi, for your empowering message.

Riley Zwiselsberger’s photograph of four firefighters shows us that heroes have fun, too! He says “I realized the day I took this photo that they are also heroes because they love to teach and help people, too. They spent so much time with us and made me laugh, too!”

The featured dance choreography piece was presented by Grace Youn. Grace was inspired by her aunt to create this dance. Her aunt is a veterinarian who also rescues animals. Grace’s dance was a beautiful tribute to those who dedicate their lives to helping animals!

Cleopha Costa presented her winning visual art piece called “There is Always Someone Who Needs You!” She created her painting using acrylic paint, pen, pencil, and watercolor. The painting depicts someone stopping to assist a man experiencing homelessness. Cleopha reminds us that “it is essential to offer a helping hand and pick up someone when they break down. You never know how much of a hero you mean to them.”

After hearing from our featured artists and special guests, it was time to officially open the exhibit with a ribbon-cutting! The print and digital exhibit will be on display at the U.S. Department of Education, by appointment only, through February 2020. Its next destination will be Louisville, Ky. for the 2020 National PTA Convention & Expo.

 

Written by Hope Cagle, Arts in Education Fellow, National PTA Reflections Program.

For more information on the Reflections program, please visit PTA.org/Reflections.

 

 

 

 

 

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Celebrating our 2018 Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grantees

April 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment

As we open the 2019 Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant cycle, we are reminded of the many arts education projects that this grant opportunity has funded. Most recently, the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant honored high quality arts learning programs at Harvest Hill PTA in California and Tiffany Park Elementary PTA in Washington with $1000 in matching grant funds.

Harvest Hill PTA hosted a free Family Art Night in collaboration with community partners to kick off their inaugural Reflections program. The Family Art Night invited all families to come in the evening to learn about the Reflections program, while also introducing families to new artistic mediums. Families had the opportunity to participate in a variety of art stations including; playdough for 3D art, Charcoal, Paint Markers and Watercolor pencils. Gina Jahn, Harvest Hill PTA President, explains:

“The best part was seeing all of the families spend the evening together bonding over art and interacting with each other away from electronics. It was a memorable night that the families appreciated and knowing that the PTA hosted and sponsored the night allowed for the families to get a glimpse into how the PTA can impact the school.”

Harvest Hill’s inaugural Reflections program went on to receive over 22 submissions of which 5 went on to Council judging and 2 moved on to the District-wide level.  Harvest Hill PTA believes that their initial Family Art Night set the foundation for many future years of arts education and participation in the Reflections program.

Tiffany Park Elementary PTA had a similarly successful event funded in part by the Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant. Tiffany Park hosted an Art Appreciation Night with a “Heroes Around Me” theme to kick off the Reflections program and engage the community in the arts. The event included a free dinner, remarks from the school Vice Principal and the District Reflections Chair, and an introduction to the Reflections program and theme. Families also had the opportunity to visit stations ran by volunteer community members that held professions in the each of the Reflections arts categories (visual arts, photography, literature, music, dance, and film) to learn about the art form.

Tiffany Park PTA believes their project has strengthened relationships and connections within their school as well as outside community partners, nearby schools and alumni. As a small, Title 1 school with a $550 budget for arts appreciation and 62% of their population receiving free and reduced lunch, the Tiffany Park PTA was extremely grateful for the grant opportunity and contributions from local organizations and businesses. Stephanie Ferran-Herrara, Tiffany Park’s Art Appreciation Chair, explains:

“It was an occasion for all of our families to come out and learn about different genres of art. Staff and community members were able to have a conversation about the importance of art for our students and we were able to encourage participating in Reflections in a fun and active way.”

In addition to the successful event, Tiffany Park PTA received 26 eligible entries for Reflections and advanced 14 to district level judging. Ferran-Herrara shared, “This project has demonstrated to our Tiffany Park students and teachers that academic AND creative endeavors are valued. We feel it has broadened the definition of what it means to be successful at school.”

Special thanks to Harvest Hill PTA and Tiffany Park Elementary PTA for supporting their students and families through such impactful arts in education programs.  For more information about the Mary Lou Anderson Arts Enhancement Grant, visit PTA.org/ArtsEd.

 

 

 

 

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Plan Your Own Award-Worthy PTA Reflections Showcase Watch Party

December 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment

 

Through the National PTA Reflections program, students receive national, state, and local recognition for their artistry and originality in dance choreography, film production, literature, music, photography, and visual arts. This year is even more important than usual as it is our 50th anniversary. Since 1969, when the program was founded, Reflections has helped so many students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, and find a love for learning!

To celebrate, National PTA is going all out by incorporating 50th anniversary celebrations into our upcoming events, including this year’s Reflections Student Arts Showcase at the Department of Education. This year’s Reflections Showcase recognizes our 2017-18 Reflections winners with a ceremony featuring guest speakers and student performances, followed by a digital and physical art exhibit. National PTA is pleased to present a live-casting of this year’s showcase event so that you can celebrate the Reflections program’s 50th anniversary with us!

As you plan your watch party, use these ideas to make your event award-worthy!

Decorate, Decorate, Decorate!

Show-off your PTA’s artistic skills and decorate your watch party with 50th Anniversary and award show decorations. Whether it’s gold 50th balloons, a red carpet, or spotlight photo-op, a highly decorated watch party will encourage participation and fun!

Incorporate Learning into Your Watch Party

Whether your continuing to emphasize the importance of art literacy or if you want to focus on the 50th anniversary, there are a multitude of ways to make your watch party both fun AND informative.

Its Snack Time!

From pizza to cupcakes, a watch party is not complete without some tasty treats. You can use standard snack ideas, but why not dazzle your audience with some award show and 50th anniversary inspired snacks.

Finally – Share, Share, Share!

Share your ideas, photos, and videos using #PTAReflections to let us know how you celebrate the Reflections Showcase by sharing your ideas, photos, and videos using #PTAReflections.

We look forward to celebrating Reflections 50th Anniversary with all of you!

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