Amherst PTA/Souhegan PTSA 2010 Reflections Program

2010–2011 Theme: “Together we can…”
Each year, the PTA Reflections Program challenges students to create art inspired by a specific theme. Themes are selected from hundreds of ideas submitted by students to the PTA Reflections Program Theme Search. Past themes have included "Exploring New Beginnings," "If I Could Give the World a Gift...," "A Different Kind of Hero," and most recently, “I Can Make a Difference by…” and “Wow!” The 2010–2011 theme is “Together we can…”
Students participate in the Reflections Program by submitting entries to a local PTA or PTSA. Nationally, the program has six arts areas—dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts—and four grade divisions—primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior.

Student Entry Form
Each entry must be accompanied by a Student Entry Form, completely filled out and signed by the student participant. Students who have not completely filled out the entry form will not be eligible to participate in the program. In situations where the child cannot fill out the entry form or write legibly, a parent may complete the form.

Students have the option of titling their works. If a work has a title, the title must be included on the Student Entry Form. If the work has no title, please write “Untitled.” All entries must include an artist statement that describes how the piece relates to the theme. For most arts areas, students must also answer a few questions about how they created their works.

Required Artist Statement
Each participant is required to submit an artist statement that describes what inspired him or her to create the work and how it relates to the theme. The artist statement is mandatory for all entries in all grade divisions. The statement should not exceed 250 words; there is no minimum length. The Student Entry Form provides a space for the artist statement; if the statement does not fit in the space given, it may be written on a separate sheet and attached to the Student Entry Form. Make sure the student’s full name appears on any sheet attached to the Student Entry Form.

Please type or print clearly in black or blue ink (do not use pencil).

Student Entry Form (PDF)
Student Entry Form (PDF) SPANISH
Student Consent Form (PDF) NEW!
Student Consent Form (PDF) NEW! SPANISH

General Student Rules
Students must adhere to the General Student Participation Rules as well as the rules for their specific arts area.
The theme for the 2010–2011 PTA Reflections Program is “Together we can...” Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the theme may be submitted. 

Student Eligibility Through Local PTAs
Students must participate in the Reflections Program through a local PTA/PTSA in good standing. Parent groups not affiliated with the national PTA organization are not eligible to sponsor this program. It is the responsibility of the state and local PTA/PTSA to determine each student’s eligibility in the Reflections Program. A student may develop an entry in or outside of school.

Grade Divisions
Students may enter the Reflections Program in the appropriate division for their grade. The divisions are as follows:
·         Primary: preschool–grade 2
·         Intermediate: grades 3–5
·         Middle/Junior: grades 6–8
·         Senior: grades 9–12

If students do not fall under specific grade divisions, the national PTA organization suggests that they be grouped as follows:
·         Primary: up to age 7
·         Intermediate: ages 8–10
·         Middle/Junior: ages 11–13
·         Senior: ages 14+

It is the responsibility of the local PTA/PTSA to determine the appropriate division if necessary.

Arts Areas
Students may submit works in any of six arts areas:
·         Dance choreography
·         Film production
·         Literature
·         Musical composition
·         Photography
·         Visual arts

The national PTA organization does not limit the number of entries a student may submit.

Originality
Each entry must be the original work of one student only. An adult may not alter the creative integrity of a student’s work. Because the program is designed to encourage and recognize each student’s individual creativity, help from an adult or collaboration with other students is not allowed. Only one student may be recognized as the award recipient for each entry. Other individuals may appear in or perform a student’s work, but the work itself—the dance choreography or film production (including screenplay, camerawork, and directing) or musical composition (including written score and any lyrics), etc.—must be the creative product of one student only. (See the specific arts area rules for details.)

Use of copyrighted material (other than recorded music in dance choreography and film production entries) is prohibited.

Plagiarism is defined as taking and using another person’s ideas, writings, or inventions as one’s own. Plagiarized entries will be disqualified and returned to the students.

Deadlines
Students must submit all works by the deadline established by their local PTA/PTSA. Each local PTA/PTSA sponsoring the program sets its own deadline for entries, in adherence with state, district/region, and council deadlines. Entries are judged at the local level and the top entries are forwarded to the next level of judging (council, district/region, or state). Direct all questions regarding deadlines or rules to your state PTA office or arts chair. The national PTA organization does not record deadlines for local, council, district/region, or state PTAs.

Judging
All national entries are judged on artistic merit, creativity, mastery of the medium, and interpretation of the theme. Mastery of the medium in the context of the national Reflections Program pertains to the level of skill the student demonstrates in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area. However, a well-developed concept is more important than technique. Entries will be judged primarily on how well the student uses his or her artistic vision to portray the theme.

The Reflections Program makes no restriction on content or subject in artwork. Students who are submitting entries need to meet school and/or local and state PTA standards.

Each PTA determines its own judges for the program. Under no condition may parents or students contact the judges to dispute the status of an entry. All decisions of judges are final.
Review the complete General Student Participation Rules in the PDF below. Students must adhere to the General Student Participation Rules as well as the rules for their specific arts area 
General Student Participation Rules PDF (English)
Awards & Recognition
National PTA gives up to five Awards of Merit and three Awards of Excellence in each grade division of each arts area. Six Outstanding Interpretation Award recipients—one from each arts area—are chosen from among all the Award of Excellence recipients. The Outstanding Interpretation Awards recognize the most creative interpretation of the theme in each of the arts areas, regardless of grade division. All students whose entries reach the national level of judging receive an Honorable Mention.
 
Award Packages
Outstanding Interpretation Awards
Each Outstanding Interpretation Award recipient receives:

• An expense-paid trip for him- or herself and one adult to the National PTA Convention
• An $800 arts education award from National PTA
• A gold-plated Reflections medallion
• A certificate and letter signed by the National PTA president
• Recognition in the annual PTA Reflections online gallery

In addition:

•  A $200 arts education award is given to the student’s local PTA by National PTA

Awards of Excellence
Each Award of Excellence recipient receives:

• A $200 cash award
• A silver-plated Reflections medallion
• A certificate and letter signed by the National PTA president
• Recognition in the annual PTA Reflections online gallery

Awards of Merit
Each Award of Merit recipient receives:

•  A silver-plated Reflections medallion
• A certificate and letter signed by the National PTA president
• Recognition in the annual PTA Reflections online gallery

Honorable Mentions
Each Honorable Mention receives:

• A certificate and letter signed by the National PTA president