Every year, the National PTA hosts the Reflections Program which enables students to broadcast their creativity by submitting their original work. The diverse media types include dance choreography, film, literature, visual arts, music composition, and photography. After rigorously reviewing each entry, judges Tracey Viars, Dorothy Holmes, Ali Palin, and Erika Brown collectively decided on the winners for each category.

“We had 145 entries turned in, which is a record for our school. Our large participation rate was thanks mostly to Mrs. Foster and Mrs. Jackson, who made it an assignment for their classes,” PTA volunteer Amy Geil said.

On Thursday morning, PTA held a brief ceremonial breakfast for Reflections participants. Students viewed a slideshow of all of the entries, and Dr. Page personally handed the winners their hard-earned certificates.

“My piece tells a story. I got the idea from when I was in Europe this summer,” said junior Lora Lafore, who won first prize for her vivid pencil drawing. “It didn’t come together at first, and it took me three weeks to complete, but it was worth it in the end.”

PTA promotes the integration of arts in education, and this year’s theme, “The world would be a better place if …” allowed students to do so. Submitters reflected on the theme by fusing their individuality and expertise into their pieces.

“My poem was about people being considerate. The idea stemmed from my observations from everyday life. I was really surprised when I won first place,” junior Quinterryon Parham, who won first place in the literature division, said.

If students want to express and gain recognition for their artistic abilities, they may start thinking about next year’s theme: “Let your imagination fly.”