Reflections Program: 2011 Reflections Winners

PTA Reflections

National PTA^® announces the 2011 Reflections Outstanding Interpretation Award winners in six arts categories, along with almost 200 other Awards of Excellence and Merit. In its 41st year, PTA^® Reflections^SM is one of the country’s oldest and largest arts recognition programs.

The winners were chosen from hundreds of thousands of submissions from students across the nation who participated in this year’s program, themed “Together we can…” Each year the program provides opportunities for students to receive recognition for their artistic efforts and expressions.

The six students will be recognized during a special ceremony at the 115th Annual National PTA Convention and Exhibition in June in Orlando, Florida. They also will receive a certificate, medallion, and $800 for their winning entry. A special award of $200 will be granted to each winner’s local PTA.

The national Outstanding Interpretation Award Recipients are:

• Dance Choreography
  “Behave”
  Kelley Young
  North Springs Charter PTSA
  Sandy Springs, Georgia 
  
  
• Musical Composition
  “Together We Can Do Anything”
  Rachel Dean
  Kennedy High School PTA
  Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  
  
• Film Production
  “Clean the Earth”
  Adam Bohorquez
  Hampstead PTSA
  Hampstead, New Hampshire
  
  
• Photography
  “The Huddle”
  Kaitlyn Jackman
  Monticello Trails Middle School PTA
  Shawnee, Kansas
  
  
• Literature
  “Liberation and Justice for All”
  Khaetlyn Grindell
  JL Mann High School PTA
  Greenville, South Carolina
  
  
• Visual Arts
  “Together we can build a better world”
  Brian Koh
  SKA Academy PTSA
  Duluth, Georgia
  

The association also recognizes 72 students with Awards of Excellence and 120 students with Awards of Merit across four grade divisions—primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior—in six arts categories—dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts. Their artwork will be showcased in a virtual PTA Reflections gallery that will be live later this year.

The judging process was completed by professionals representing a number of disciplines and organizations. Volunteer judges included: Lorraine Audeoud Spiegler, dance director and educator, CityDance Ensemble; Brandon Rothenberg, producer, MRB; Sara Armour, marketing director, MRB; Bryan Elsom, director, MRB; Jin-Hwa Choi, composer; Zhangyi Chen, composer, Peabody Institute; Caitlin Hill, writer, editor, and professor, Poet Lore & The Writer’s Center; Nicholas Simmons, watercolorist; Fran Abrams, polymer clay artist; Helanius J. Wilkins, founder and artistic director, EDGEWORKS Dance Theater; James Young, improviser and composer, Peabody Institute; Emily Koh, music educator and composer; Tian Hui Ng, conductor and composer, Mount Holyoke College; and Paul Oberle, photographer.

The PTA Reflections was started in 1969 by Mary Lou Anderson, who served as Colorado PTA president at the time. In its 40-year history, the program has encouraged millions of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to create works of art for fun and recognition. Students in preschool through grade 12 are encouraged to create and submit works of art in six areas: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and the visual arts (which includes art forms such as drawing, painting, print making, and collage).