Where is it okay for a student’s name to be displayed?

Full student names should not be visible anywhere on the entry, nor should the name be spoken or displayed anywhere within the medium (e.g. video credits, title slides, literature byline). Signatures are acceptable on the back of a piece of visual artwork.

Who is eligible to enter?

Reflections is a National PTA arts contest open to students in grades Pre-K to 12. Students must attend a school with a current active PTA to be eligible to enter the contest. Although PTA membership is not required to enter, the Reflections program is a benefit of attending a school where there is a PTA. Students may only enter the contest through their school PTA.

Reflections entries must be submitted by the student to CKMS PTA by December 5, 2025.  Entries submitted directly to Washington State PTA, or to National PTA (i.e. bypassing CKMS PTA) will not be accepted.

What are the recommendations for quality recordings?

Make the room you record in as quiet as possible. Close windows and turn off all noise-making devices in the room (air conditioners, fans, telephones, etc.). Do not place the recording device on top of an instrument or speakers. If needed, improve recording quality by changing the record volume or microphone location. Pay attention to what is behind the performer – make sure the background isn’t distracting. If using a phone, record in landscape mode, not portrait mode. Do not move the camera once filming has started.

Can more than one person create and submit the same entry?

Only one person can submit each entry. However, more than one person may perform in a dance, music or film creation, even though one person is the creator/submitting the entry.

How many entries can one student submit?

Students may submit one entry in as many arts categories as they would like.

What is considered copyrighted material subject to disqualification?

An entrant may use copyrighted material in a Reflections® entry as long as that material is not the primary focus of the entry, or if the entrant is not trying to pass off the copyrighted material as his/her own creation.

Permission granted to PTA affiliates to print and copy materials for internal use.

For example, if a photograph is taken where someone is wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt, that entry is acceptable as long as the Mickey Mouse character is not the primary focus of the photograph. Even if the entrant takes a photograph of a family with Mickey Mouse at a theme park, that would still be an acceptable photograph if the subject of the photograph is the family and not the Mickey Mouse character. If an entrant creates an entry that includes Mickey Mouse as a primary subject in the artwork, that entry would be infringing on copyrighted material and would be disqualified.

If you have any questions, contact the WSPTA Reflections Chair at reflections@wastatepta.org.

Are there any restrictions on the use of technology?

Digital technology may not provide the primary design and/or concept for an entry and to indicate that entrants must provide a brief description how they used the technology/software, including any generative elements (e.g., algorithmic techniques, artificial intelligence).

Why are there so many rules? Isn't Reflections a program to encourage kids to be creative?

Since the primary goal of Reflections is to promote creativity, the program’s rules create the necessary boundaries to allow judging, exhibits, and awards.

Most of the rules associated with the Reflections program have been developed to protect student creations once they’ve been turned in and provide the ability for artwork to be displayed. A handful of volunteers are tasked with moving large numbers of artwork from place to place, and we treasure each creation.