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Submissions due by October 31st, 2025
How to Participate
Use the Reflections theme - think about the theme of the year – this year it’s “ACCEPTING IMPERFECTION” and then create an original piece of art in one or more of the following categories: dance, film, literature, music composition, photography or visual arts.
Choose which category (or categories) you want to participate in. Each category has specific rules and guidelines for the piece of work, see category links below. The student must create the work and cannot have help from others.
Fill out entry forms. Once the piece is completed, families need to fill out the entry form completely and make sure someone in the family is a registered 2025-2026 PTA member at Cypress. The student needs to complete the Artist’s Statement on the entry form for the piece explaining their inspiration for the work in connection to the theme.
Bring your completed entries (form and work) to the Cypress Elementary Office on or before Friday, October 31st.
Questions? Email: Programs@CypressPTA.org
About Reflections
Reflections is a national PTA program that provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life. Every year, students create and submit original works of art that are reviewed for their interpretation, creativity, and technique.
“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.” — Paige Opaska
Categories
Dance Choreography
A dancer might choreograph a piece that highlights moments of imbalance or missteps, weaving these “mistakes” into the performance to show that they are expressions of humanity and growth.
Film makers can capture and edit day-to-day footage to create a narrative that showcases the beauty of everyday life, using cinematic techniques to explore how the world would look if ordinary people, not Hollywood, defined perfection.
Literature
Writers can explore imperfection through storytelling about a character who finds strength in their flaws or through an acrostic poem that uses each line to celebrate a different, personal imperfection.
Musicians can explore imperfection by embracing the natural variability in performances. A piece doesn’t need to be flawless to be powerful; often, it’s the slight deviations and emotional nuances that make it memorable.
Photographs can capture the beauty of candid, unposed moments or highlight unique flaws—wrinkles, scars or everyday messiness—which can tell a more compelling story than a picture-perfect image.
Drawings, paintings and sculptures can elevate imperfections as the true standard of beauty, contrasting them with traditionally “perfect” elements to emphasize the value of the imperfect.
Students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 may enter in the Accessible Arts Division or grade division most closely aligned to their functional abilities.
More about the PTA Reflections program
“National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life. Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+ year-old program helps them 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. Students participate in the appropriate division for their grade: Primary (Pre-K - Grade 2), Intermediate (Grades 3-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), High School (Grades 9-12), Special Artist (All grades welcome), and submit their completed works of art in one or more of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts.”
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