2025-2026 Reflections: I Belong
McAuliffe PTSA is excited to announce that the Reflections program is continuing again at McAuliffe in the 2025-26 school year!
What is Reflections?
Reflections is a National PTA arts recognition program that helps students 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 not only in school but in life.
Who can apply?
Students in pre-K through grade 5 create original works of art in response to a theme. The National PTA accessible arts division is an option for students with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Generally, rules and guidelines within the special artists division are intended to ensure accessibility to the National PTA Reflections® program and are modeled after the guidelines outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The theme for the 2025-2026 program is “I Belong!”.
When are the Entries Due?
Entries due - November 3, 2025
PTA's instructions for Entry submissions:
What categories are accepted at McAuliffe?
Students submit their completed works of art in one or more of the available arts categories.
Only original works of art are accepted. The six art areas are:
Why do Reflections?
While the primary focus of Reflections is a celebration of creativity through positive recognition, finalists from local PTAs will move on to their council PTA (if applicable), then finalists from councils will move on to the state round. Washington State PTA finalists who receive an “Outstanding Interpretation” award will advance to the National PTA round.
What are the Student Entry rules?
Accessible Art
The National PTA accessible arts division is an option for students with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Generally, rules and guidelines within the special artists division are intended to ensure accessibility to the National PTA Reflections® program and are modeled after the guidelines outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are asking local PTA chairs and council chairs to verify that artists meet this criteria before judging.
Complete details are included in the 2024-25 Accessible Arts Rules | en español.
How many entries can one student submit?
Students may submit in as many arts categories as they would like, however, only one entry per arts category is allowed.
Past Winners:
See the list of 2024-2025 WSPTA Reflections finalists on the Student Showcase page
In Reflections, interpretation of the theme is highly considered during the review process. To learn more about selection criteria in Reflections, visit our Reflections Awards webpage.
For more information, rules and guidelines, please refer https://wastatepta.org/events-programs/reflections/
All entries must be submitted to the class teacher/Heather at the front desk. Any questions, email us at mailto:[email protected]
Link to the form: student-entry-form-fillable-2526.pdf
What is Reflections?
Reflections is a National PTA arts recognition program that helps students 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 not only in school but in life.
Who can apply?
Students in pre-K through grade 5 create original works of art in response to a theme. The National PTA accessible arts division is an option for students with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Generally, rules and guidelines within the special artists division are intended to ensure accessibility to the National PTA Reflections® program and are modeled after the guidelines outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The theme for the 2025-2026 program is “I Belong!”.
When are the Entries Due?
Entries due - November 3, 2025
PTA's instructions for Entry submissions:
- Entry forms are VIRTUAL!
- Student entry form (fillable) is available below and students can type directly into the form.
- Include digital entry and student form as attachments, email to [email protected] . Subject of email must include student name and category (Ex: Jane Doe - Visual Arts)
- For accepted digital entry format, please go through the category guideline links below.
- All artwork collection in Round 1 is in DIGITAL format!
- Students submit a digital copy of their artwork with their entry form. As needed, Council winners' artwork will be collected physically for display at our open house. Take good care of their artwork as it may be requested/required to be submitted in January!
- It will need to be in the same form it was in when the digital image was first submitted in October!
What categories are accepted at McAuliffe?
Students submit their completed works of art in one or more of the available arts categories.
Only original works of art are accepted. The six art areas are:
- Literature – works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, drama, short stories and lyrics.
- Music Composition – original musical composition, with or without words.
- Photography - or black and white, included techniques: photogram, negative sandwich, and multiple exposure.
- Visual Art - drawing, painting in tempera, oil, acrylic, watercolor & t-shirt paints, computer generated art, two-dimensional collage, printmaking, needlework & leather tooling.
- Choreography/Dance - originally choreographed dance composition.
Why do Reflections?
While the primary focus of Reflections is a celebration of creativity through positive recognition, finalists from local PTAs will move on to their council PTA (if applicable), then finalists from councils will move on to the state round. Washington State PTA finalists who receive an “Outstanding Interpretation” award will advance to the National PTA round.
What are the Student Entry rules?
- 2025-26 Accessible Arts Full Guidelines | en Español
- 2025-26 Dance Choreography Category Full Guidelines | en Español
- 2025-26 Literature Category Full Guidelines | en Español
- 2025-26 Music Composition Category Full Guidelines | en Español
- 2025-26 Photography Category Full Guidelines | en Español
- 2025-26 Visual Arts Category Full Guidelines | en Español
- 2025-26 WSPTA Student Entry Form (fillable) | en Español
- 2025-26 WSPTA Student Entry Form
Accessible Art
The National PTA accessible arts division is an option for students with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Generally, rules and guidelines within the special artists division are intended to ensure accessibility to the National PTA Reflections® program and are modeled after the guidelines outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are asking local PTA chairs and council chairs to verify that artists meet this criteria before judging.
Complete details are included in the 2024-25 Accessible Arts Rules | en español.
How many entries can one student submit?
Students may submit in as many arts categories as they would like, however, only one entry per arts category is allowed.
Past Winners:
See the list of 2024-2025 WSPTA Reflections finalists on the Student Showcase page
In Reflections, interpretation of the theme is highly considered during the review process. To learn more about selection criteria in Reflections, visit our Reflections Awards webpage.
For more information, rules and guidelines, please refer https://wastatepta.org/events-programs/reflections/
All entries must be submitted to the class teacher/Heather at the front desk. Any questions, email us at mailto:[email protected]
Link to the form: student-entry-form-fillable-2526.pdf
For more information, rules and guidelines, please refer https://wastatepta.org/events-programs/reflections/
All entries must be submitted to the class teacher/Heather at the front desk. Any questions, email us at [email protected]
All entries must be submitted to the class teacher/Heather at the front desk. Any questions, email us at [email protected]
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Dance Choreography
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Music Composition
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Literature
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Photography
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Visual Arts
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- Reflections is a National PTA arts recognition program that helps students 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 not only in school, but in life.
- While the primary focus of Reflections is a celebration of creativity through positive recognition, finalists from local PTAs will move on to their council PTA (if applicable), then finalists from councils will move on to the state round. Washington State PTA finalists who receive an “Outstanding Interpretation” award will advance to the National PTA round. National PTA Reflections awards for 2020-2021 can be found here.