FAQ FOR STUDENTS
1. What is the PTA Reflections Program? Reflections is a National PTA arts recognition program for students in grades pre-K through 12. Students submit their completed works of art in one or all of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts. 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 912), Special Artist (All grades welcome). Submitted works of art could result in state and national level awards and recognition opportunities.
2. What is the Reflections Theme Search? Each year, National PTA challenges students from across the country to submit theme ideas for the Reflections program. The student who submits the winning entry receives a cash award and their theme is used as the foundation for the Reflections program in a following year. This year, any student can enter the contest by entering their information directly into the NYS PTA Theme Search Online Submission Form. - PLEASE NOTE: The theme search is not required in order to participate in the Reflections program, this is just an added fun contest that your child may choose to participate in. Fairfield Reflections Committe does not handle these submissions. DUE BY 10/30
3. When are submissions due? All submissions are due by Thursday, November 13th by 10:00pm
4. When will the results be in? Judging results will be announced on or around December 1st.
5. Is there an awards ceremony? Yes! The date for the awards ceremony is: Thursday, May 21st at Fairfield. All participants and their guests will be invited to attend. More details to follow as we get closer. Stay tuned and MAKE SURE TO SAVE THE DATE!
OFFICIAL PTA REFLECTIONS PROGRAM RULES
These are basic guidelines that all Reflections entries must meet to be eligible on the national level. Additional state and/or local program requirements may apply.
Each entry must be new artwork inspired by the current year’s theme are accepted.
Theme-Inspired: Engage with the theme and create inspired artwork. This is critical to success in Reflections.
New Artwork: Do not “recycle” artwork by submitting a piece created for other purposes (e.g., homework not related to Reflections; art used in another competition).
Each entry must be the original work of one student only.
Individual Originality: Reflections is designed to encourage and recognize individual creativity, artistic assistance from friends, family and/or teachers is not allowed.
No Group Submissions: Only one student will be awarded for each entry.
Artwork Details: Titles or artist statements must be the student’s own words and interpretations of the theme.
Creative Choices: Decisions in the creative process must be made and/or directed by the student. If support is required, it should be limited and appropriate to the student’s grade and needs.
Each entry must contain a title and an artist statement.
Word Count: Artists statement must include at least 10 words and not exceed 100 words.
Be Creative and Unique: Each entry submitted in Reflections must have a unique title and artist statement specific to that submission. Learn more about crafting a title and artist statement in the section below.
Each entry using digital technology/software in creation process must consider the following:
Enhance: Technology/software may be used to develop, enhance and/or present an entry.
Original Use: Technology/software may not be use to provide the primary design and/or concept.
Use Description: Entrants must use the “Additional Details” field on their entry form to briefly describe the tools and method used in the creation process, including any generative elements (10 to 50 words).
1. ELIGIBILITY. Students must participate through a local PTA/PTSA. Each student’s eligibility is determined by the state and local PTA/PTSA. A student may develop an entry inside or outside of school.
2. ARTS CATEGORIES. There are six arts categories—dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts. Students may enter the National PTA Reflections Program in one or more arts categories. See each arts category rules for additional entry requirements.
3. GRADE DIVISIONS. Students may enter in the appropriate division for their grade (Primary: Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 2; Intermediate: Grades 3-5; Middle School: Grades 6-8; High School: Grades 9-12; Accessible Arts: All grades welcome). The Accessible Arts division invites students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 to enter in the Accessible Arts Division or grade division most closely aligned to their support needs. The division offers non-artistic accommodations (e.g. adaptive technology; transcribing) for students to participate fully in PTA Reflections. Assistants must refrain from being involved in the artistic process (e.g. developing an artist statement, choreography, music lyrics, storyboards, etc.). Student recognition and awards are announced as part of the Accessible Arts Division. See Official Rules for details.
4. HOW TO ENTER. Entrants must submit their artwork and student entry form to their local PTA/PTSA program according to local and state PTA procedures. Entrants must follow requirements and instructions specific to each arts category and division. Contact local PTA programs for deadlines and additional information. - ** PLEASE NOTE: FAIRFIELD'S REFLECTIONS COMMITTEE WE WILL BE ACCEPTING ONLINE ENTRIES ONLY. PLEASE BE SURE TO SAVE ALL ARTWORK AND PUT ASIDE IN SAFE KEEPING. ARTWORK WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY IN MAY. ORIGINAL ARTWORK MAY ALSO BE NEEDED TO SUBMIT TO NATIONAL PTA. ** MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD'S NAME IS NOT ON THE ARTWORK. JUDGING IS BLIND.**
5. COPYRIGHT. Plagiarized entries will be disqualified. Use of copyrighted material, including any copyrighted cartoon characters, copyrighted recorded music or copyrighted photographs, stock images or material downloaded from the internet, is not acceptable, except for the following: a. Entries may include public places, well-known products, trademarks or certain other copyrighted material as long as that copyrighted material is incidental to the subject matter of the piece and/or is a smaller element of a whole. The resulting work cannot try to establish an association between the student and the trademark/business/material or influence the purchase/non-purchase of the trademarked good. b. If background music is used in dance choreography and film production entries, it must be cited on the entry form (title, composer and performer). c. Visual arts, photography and film production entries may include portions of existing copyrighted works, such as photographs, magazine or digital media clippings and/or type cut out of a newspaper, as long as those portions of copyrighted works are used to create a completely new and different work of art.
6. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS. All participants must also follow arts category and if applicable, Accessible Arts division rules.
• Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the current year’s theme may be submitted.
• 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 except in the Accessible Arts division. Other individuals may appear in or perform a student’s work, but the work itself must be the creative product of one student only. Only one student may be recognized as the award recipient for each entry. See the specific arts category rules and Accessible Arts division rules for details.
• Each entry must contain a title and all entries must include an artist statement. The artist statement communicates what inspired the work, how it relates to the theme, and the content of the work. The statement must include at least 10 words and not exceed 100 words.
• Digital technology and/or software can be used to develop, enhance and/or present an entry but may not provide the primary design and/or concept. Entrants must provide a brief description of the tools and method, including any generative elements.
7. FINALIST SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION. Entries are reviewed at local, regional, state and national levels. Each PTA determines its own reviewers for the program. Entries will be reviewed primarily on how well the student uses their artistic vision to portray the theme, their originality and creativity. The National PTA Reflections® program makes no restrictions on content or subject matter in artwork submitted by the local, regional or state levels. National PTA reserves the right to use its sole discretion in selecting the submissions to be recognized at the national level. Under no condition may parents or students contact a reviewer to dispute the status/score of any entry. Each PTA in its sole discretion will select finalists for exhibition and provide awards/prizes. Awards are announced per local and state procedures. National awards are announced May 1 at PTA.org/Reflections.
8. OWNERSHIP AND LICENSE. Ownership in any submission shall remain the property of the entrant, but entry into this program constitutes entrant’s irrevocable permission and consent that PTA may display, copy, reproduce, enhance, print, sublicense, publish, distribute and create derivative works for PTA purposes. PTA is not responsible for lost or damaged entries. Submission of entry into the PTA Reflections program constitutes acceptance of all rules and conditions.
9. PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. This program is administered by the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and PTA affiliates. Parent groups not affiliated with National PTA are not eligible to sponsor this program.
PTA Reflections Division Arts Category Rules
Accessible Arts Division: Artists follow the general rules and relevant arts category guidelines, modified only by accommodations for their disability. The accommodations, in general, should be both specific and limited to the student’s disability. Use of adaptive technology is allowed. Individuals providing support may assist with typing, holding a camera, etc. but may not be involved in the artistic process. The division will not be divided by age or traditional school grade level.
Dance Choreography: Solo and ensemble works of all dance styles are accepted. Entrant must be the choreographer and may also be the performer, or one of the performers. If background music is used, cite it on the entry form. See Official Rules for copyright details. Video file must not exceed 5 minutes in length and 1,000 MB (1,000 megabyte) in file size and be in MP4, MOV, or AVI format.
Film Production: Accepted short film styles include: Animation, narrative, documentary, experimental or media presentation. Use of PowerPoint is prohibited. Entrant must be the screenwriter, cinematographer, editor and producer. If background music is used, cite it on the entry form. See Official Rules for copyright details. Video file must not exceed 5 minutes in length and 1,000 MB (1,000 megabyte) in file size and be in MP4, MOV, or AVI format.
Literature: Accepted forms of fiction and nonfiction include prose, poetry, reflective essay, screen play and play script, narrative, and short story. Entrants may write in their primary language as long as an interpretive English translation is also attached. Use of copyrighted material is prohibited. Writing must not exceed 2,000 words and may be handwritten or typed. Accepted formats: Single-sided print on 8 ½x11” paper, PDF file.
Music Composition: All music styles and combinations of instrumentation are accepted. Entrant must be the composer and may also be the performer, or one of the performers. Software may be used to produce an audio recording. Entries containing algorithmic composition techniques are not accepted. Use of copyrighted material is prohibited. An audio recording of the composition must be included and must not exceed 5 minutes in length and 1,000 MB (1,000 megabyte) in file size. Accepted audio file formats include: MP3 and WAV. Notation (score/tablature) in PDF format is only required for middle and high school divisions. In place of a notated score entrant may include a written reflective statement that provides a musically technical explanation of how you wrote the music (100 words or less).
Photography: Photo must be a single print/digital image. Collages and collections of photos are not accepted. Entrant must be the photographer and may use a variety of digital editing techniques including but not limited to, multiple exposure, negative sandwich and photogram. See Official Rules for copyright details. Print image dimensions must be no smaller than 3x5 inches and no larger than 8x10 inches. Framed prints are not accepted. Digital image dimensions must be at least 640x960 (pixels) and 300 dpi (resolution). Accepted file formats: JPEG, JPG, and PNG.
Visual Arts: Works of both fine and design arts are accepted, including but not limited to: architectural drawing and models, ceramics, collage, digital art and graphics (drawings/paintings/illustration), crafts, drawing, fashion clothes and jewelry, fiber work, mixed media, painting, printmaking and sculpture. See Official Rules for copyright details. 2D artworks must be no larger than 24x30 inches with matting. Framed entries are not accepted. Include one digital image of artwork with your submission. 3D artwork submissions must contain 3 digital images of artwork at different angles. Image(s) are used for artwork identification, judging and exhibition purposes. Accepted file formats: JPEG, JPG, and PNG.
We are so excited to see what Fairfield's amazing artists create! 😃