2009–2010 PTA Reflections Program

Committee Chair: Margaret Walsh margaretewalsh@comcast.net

Participation Form
Student Entry Form
Dance Choreography Rules 2009/2010
Film Production Rules 2009/2010
Photograhy Rules 2009/2010
Visual Arts Rules 2009/2010
Musical Composition Rules 2009/2010
Literature Rules 2009/2010

GENERAL STUDENT PARTICIPATION RULES

Theme: Beauty is.....

The theme for the 2009–2010 PTA Reflections Program is “Beauty is...” Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the theme may be submitted.

Student Eligibility Through Local PTAs
Students must participate in the Reflections Program through a local PTA/PTSA in good standing. Parent groups not affiliated with the national PTA organization are not eligible to sponsor this program. It is the responsibility of the state and local PTA/PTSA to determine each student’s eligibility in the Reflections Program. A student may develop an entry in or outside of school.

Grade Divisions
Students may enter the Reflections Program in the appropriate division for their grade. The divisions
are as follows:

• Primary: preschool–grade 2
• Intermediate: grades 3–5
• Middle/Junior: grades 6–8
• Senior: grades 9–12

If students do not fall under specific grade divisions, the national PTA organization suggests that they
be grouped as follows:

• Primary: up to age 7
• Intermediate: ages 8–10
• Middle/Junior: ages 11–13
• Senior: ages 14+

It is the responsibility of the local PTA/PTSA to determine the appropriate division if necessary.

Arts Areas
Students may submit works in any of six arts areas:

• Dance choreography
• Film production
• Literature
• Musical composition
• Photography
• Visual arts

The national PTA organization does not limit the number of entries a student may submit.

Originality
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. Only one
student may be recognized as the award recipient for each entry. Other individuals may appear in or
perform a student’s work, but the work itself—the dance choreography or film production (including
screenplay, camerawork, and directing) or musical composition (including written score and any lyrics), etc.—must be the creative product of one student only. (See the specific arts area rules for details.)

Use of copyrighted material (other than recorded music in dance choreography and film production entries) is prohibited.

Plagiarism is defined as taking and using another person’s ideas, writings, or inventions as one’s own.

Plagiarized entries will be disqualified and returned to the students.

Student Entry Form
All participants are required to fill out in its entirety and sign the Student Entry Form. Students who have not completely filled out the entry form will not be eligible to participate in the program. In situations where the child cannot fill out the entry form or write legibly, a parent may complete the form.

Students have the option of titling their works. If a work has a title, the title must be included on the
Student Entry Form. If the work has no title, please write “Untitled.” All entries must include an artist
statement that describes how the piece relates to the theme. For most arts areas, students must also
answer a few questions about how they created their works; see Required Information on the Student
Entry Form.

Required Artist Statement
Each participant is required to submit an artist statement that describes what inspired him or her to
create the work and how it relates to the theme. The artist statement is mandatory for all entries in all
grade divisions. The statement should not exceed 250 words; there is no minimum length. The Student Entry Form provides a space for the artist statement; if the statement does not fit in the space given, it may be written on a separate sheet and attached to the Student Entry Form. Make sure the student’s full name appears on any sheet attached to the Student Entry Form.

Children with Disabilities
PTA believes that each child with a disability should be provided a free and appropriate public
education. Therefore, the Reflections Program at the national level does not have a special division for students with disabilities. The national PTA organization believes it is the right of parents to place their child in the Reflections Program grade division that best reflects the child’s developmental age.
However, guidelines for state and local Reflections Programs may vary. Check with your state PTA for its guidelines.

Deadlines
Students must submit all works by the deadline established by their local PTA/PTSA. Each local
PTA/PTSA sponsoring the program sets its own deadline for entries, in adherence with state,
district/region, and council deadlines. Entries are judged at the local level and the top entries are
forwarded to the next level of judging (council, district/region, or state). Direct all questions
regarding deadlines or rules to your state PTA office or arts chair. The national PTA organization
does not record deadlines for local, council, district/region, or state PTAs.

Judging
All national entries are judged on artistic merit, creativity, mastery of the medium, and interpretation
of the theme. Mastery of the medium in the context of the national Reflections Program pertains to the
level of skill the student demonstrates in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area. However, a
well-developed concept is more important than technique. Entries will be judged primarily on how well the student uses his or her artistic vision to portray the theme.

The Reflections Program makes no restriction on content or subject in artwork. Students who are
submitting entries need to meet school and/or local and state PTA standards.

Each PTA determines its own judges for the program. Under no condition may parents or students contact the judges to dispute the status of an entry. All decisions of judges are final.