Awards & Events - Reflections Arts Program

Awards

National PTA Reflections Awards

Each year, students in Pre-K through Grade 12 are invited to create and submit original works of art in the areas of Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography and 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 9-12); and Accessible Arts** (All grades welcome).

Based on State PTA rules and guidelines, these works of art may be submitted for state and national level awards and recognition opportunities.

**Students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 may enter in the Accessible Arts Division (formerly the Special Artist division) or grade division most closely aligned to their support needs.

2024-2025 Accepting Imperfection Reflections Awards

Congratulations National Reflections Winners

From 40 state PTA congresses, National PTA received over 850 student entries inspired by the 2024-2025 Reflections theme, Accepting Imperfection. After two rounds of national level review, we are thrilled to recognize over 200 student artists with Awards of Excellence and Merit and honor seven students with the top Outstanding Interpretation Award.

Explore the our virtual exhibit and Artist Spotlights celebrating our national winners at PTA.org/AcceptingImperfection.

2024-2025 PTA Reflections Winners

2025-2026 I Belong! Reflections Awards

Stay Tuned: Winners Announced in May 2026

National-level Reflections awardees will be announced in May 2026. Winners will receive direct communication from National PTA with notice of any awards.

Need help? If you have questions about the status of your 2025-2026 Reflections entry, contact the PTA unit you submitted your entry to. If you have further questions, connect with your state PTA.

Quick Tip

National PTA only accepts entries directly from state PTAs. Our team will be unable to provide specific updates or details about any other levels of competition.

National Level Reflections Review and Awards

Reflections Awards and Prizes

Each year, National PTA awards over 200 student artists with national-level Awards of Excellence and Merit and honors seven students with the top Outstanding Interpretation Award. National-level winners are announced annually on May 1.

Direct communication is provided to winning student artists by National PTA to share notice of the awards and outline prizes. Based on their award, student artists receive the following prizes:

Merit Award: Bronze Medal; Certificate of Merit; Work featured in the virtual exhibition

Award of Excellence: $200 Young Artist Scholarship; Silver Medal; Certificate of Excellence; Work featured in the virtual exhibition

Outstanding Interpretation Award: $800 Young Artist Scholarship; Gold Medal; Certificate of Outstanding Interpretation; Work featured in the virtual exhibition; $200 Prize for Local PTA Unit

Reflections Review Criteria

Student entries submitted to the national level go through two rounds of review by arts professionals from across the country. In Reflections, judges prioritize the artist's interpretation of the theme, as expressed through their original artwork, title and artist statement.

Including the student's interpretation of the Reflections theme, judges will consider the following criteria during the evaluation process:

Creativity: How creative and original the piece is in its conception of the theme and its presentation.

Technique: The level of skill demonstrated in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area.

Interpretation: How closely the piece relates to the theme, based on the work itself and the artist statement.

Tips for Creating an Award-Winning Reflections Entry

Along with the information provided by your local and state PTA, National PTA provides helpful information on our Craft an Entry page to help students create standout entries. Along with details about each of the arts categories, National PTA provides tips and tricks to help student artists:

Create an impactful title and artist statement.

Use the Reflections scoring criteria during the creative process.

Craft an
Entry

Previous National PTA Reflections Student Arts Celebrations

2022-2023 Show Your Voice! Reflections Program

The 2023 Virtual Outstanding Interpretation Reflections Winners Celebration honors the top seven national winners from the 2022-2023 Show Your Voice! Reflections program.

The 2024 Virtual Reflections Student Arts Showcase featured over 20 short interviews with select student artists—and a few special guests—discussing their award-winning artwork from the 2022-2023 Show Your Voice! Reflections program

2021-2022 I Will Change the World By... Reflections Program

The 2022 Virtual Outstanding Interpretation Reflections Winners Celebration honors the top seven national winners from the 2021-2022 I Will Change the World By... Reflections program.

The 2023 Reflections Showcase featured a selection of artists and recognized all our national-level winning artists from the 2021-2022 National PTA Reflections program, I Will Change the World By...

2020-2021 I Matter Because... Reflections Program

The 2021 National PTA Convention awards program celebrates the Outstanding Interpretation Reflections winners for the 2020-2021 I Matter Because... Reflections program.

The 2022 Virtual Reflections Student Arts Showcase celebrates a selection of Reflections national winners from the 2020-2021 I Matter Because... program. National PTA is also proud to provide the 2022 Virtual Reflections Showcase in Spanish.

Annual Theme Search Contest

Help Inspire a Future Reflections Program

Every year, National PTA hosts our annual Reflections Theme Search Contest to select one student theme to inspire student artists as they participate in a future PTA Reflections program. The national winning student will receive a $100 award and national recognition. Themes are selected two years in advance.

We’re looking for the most original theme ideas, so past themes and duplicate submissions will not be considered. Explore the past 50+ years of winning themes for reference and inspiration!

How to Participate

Students can participate and submit entries following the process and guidelines outlined by their state PTA. Each state PTA may submit up to five student-created themes to National PTA by 11:59 p.m. PST on December 1. National PTA only consider entries submitted by state PTAs.

Connect With Your State PTA

For details around how to participate, including when and how to submit entries, interested participants, parents or PTAs should reach out to their state PTA or visit their state PTA Reflections webpage.

Current and Upcoming Themes

PTA Reflections themes are selected two years in advance. Check out our current theme and plan ahead for the future.

2025-2026 Theme

The 2023 Annual Theme Search Contest winner was Ben Morgan from Lewis and Clark Middle School PTSA in Idaho! Ben’s submission, "I Belong!" will be the 2025-2026 Reflections theme. Learn more about Ben and "I Belong!" with these Our Children articles:

Meet Ben Morgan, the 2025-2026 Reflections Theme Search Contest Winner!

Explore the 2025-2026 PTA Reflections Theme

Using the Arts to Discuss Mental Health

2026-2027 Theme

Congratulations to the most recent winner of the Annual Theme Search Contest: Sophia Partola from Wilton High School PTSA in Connecticut! Sophia's submission, What My Culture Means to Me will be the 2026-2027 Reflections theme.