“Diversity Means…”

Submission Deadline to Nevada PTA Office:

Friday, January 20, 2012 by 3:00 pm

6175 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 1B | Las Vegas, NV 89146

(702) 258-7885 | (800) 782-7201 | (702) 258-7836 Fax

Office@nevadapta.org | www.nevadapta.org

DEAD LINE TO SUBMITENTRIES TO NEVADA PTA THIS YEAR

Friday, January 20, 2012 PROGRAM THEMES:

2011-2012 “Diversity means…”

The National PTAReflections Program is an arts recognition and achievement program for students. The Reflections Program provides opportunities for students to
express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for original
works of art inspired by a pre-selected theme, while increasing community
awareness on the importance of the arts in education.

The Reflections Program was established in 1969 by National PTA board member Mary Lou Anderson. Since that time, more than 10 million students have participated in the program. The program’s longevity and participation figures attest to its strength. The excitement and enthusiasm that the program generates for children, parents, schools and communities is unmatched.

Participation and appreciation for the arts is the Reflections Program’s goal. Although the Reflections Program follows a “contest” format, winning should not be
the emphasis.

Participation in the Reflections Program is a great way for students to explore and learn about various art forms. Creating art is a valuable learning process that challenges
students to use their critical thinking skills as well as their creative talents to create art that supports a specific theme.

Students may submit an entry in any of the six arts areas listed below. Only original works of art are accepted. Depending on local PTA guidelines, students may enter more than one work of art. The six arts areas are as follows:Literature

Musical composition
Photography
Visual arts
Dance Choreography
Film/Video Production

Participation in the Reflections Program is organized by school grade. Student works are critiqued against others in the same grade division. This allows recognition and judging of artworks by appropriate developmental age and skill levels. The four grade
divisions are as follows:

Primary Preschool Grade 2 or up to age 7
Intermediate Grades 3-5 or ages 8-10
Middle/Junior Grades 6-8 or ages 11-13
Senior Grades 9-12 or ages 14+

The Reflections Program is structured for PTAs to recognize students at the local unit, council, PTA district, state and national levels. Entries are first judged at the local unit
level, where selected works are chosen to represent the PTA at each subsequent
level. Once entries reach the level of the Nevada State PTA, entries may be
selected for submission to the National PTA. Award of Excellence and Awards of
Merit are recognized at the annual National PTA convention and are displayed as
part of the program’s traveling exhibit.

Participation in the Nevada
Reflections program is open to all students in attendance at PTA/PTSA schools
where the program is sponsored. Entries are forwarded through channels. Each
unit, council and PTA district establishes their own deadline dates, allowing
adequate time for displaying and judging of entries. PTA units should acquire
deadline dates from their council and PTA district. Only PTAs in good standing may
submit entries to the Nevada State PTA.

Please remember that:

Students may submit entries only through a PTA or PTSA
in good standing.
All entries submitted must be original works and must
relate to the annual Reflections Program theme.
Each entry must be the work of only one student.
Assistance from teachers, parents or friends is not permitted except in
special cases (such as for those with visual or physical disabilities)
Participation encourages creativity and exploration.
Students should do their best, but crooked lines, incorrect musical notes,
or misspelled words do not disqualify anyone.

RESPONSIBILITY

Familiarize yourself with the materials on the Nevada
State PTA Web site, the National PTA Web site at www.pta.org and the Reflections Packet on the Nevada PTA Website
under Programs tab and then under the Arts tab..
Develop a Reflections Program planning calendar using
council and PTA district deadlines; identify key steps to meet your
calendar deadlines. (Note that this program runs early in the school year
for local units, therefore you may have to work around athletic events
when planning your calendar.)
Submit a Reflections Program budget to the budget
committee for approval.
Explain the Reflections Program to the principal and
school staff; encourage their support and participation. Inform parents
and community members. Share information about the Reflections Program at
a PTA/PTSA meeting, share examples of last year’s entries and have current
entry forms and rules for distribution.
Publicize the Reflections Program, theme and deadline
dates in your school or PTA/PTSA newsletter. The local newspaper or cable
TV station could also be contacted for publicity.
Select impartial, qualified judges. Inform judges of
the criteria to be used in evaluating/judging Reflections Program entries.
(Refer to the rules for each art category.) Remember to accept the judges’
selections of winning entries. IMPORTANT: Do not show student information
(name, address, etc.) on entries displayed for judging.
Follow guidelines from council and PTA district
regarding the number of entries which may be submitted. Adhere to council
and PTA district deadlines!
Make certain each entry meets all judging criteria with
regard to size, mounting, etc.
Be sure the Official Entry Form (Forms Section) is
completely filled out, signed by both student and parent, and attached
securely to each entry, according to the National PTA rules.
Complete and send Participation Form A (Forms Section)
with entries according to National PTA rules.
Keep a copy of all Official Entry Forms and
Participation Form A.
After the program, give each participant a certificate
of participation.
Return entries to students whose work was not selected
for the next level of judging.
Update the Reflections Program procedure book.
Announce the new Reflections Program theme as soon as
it is available. The theme is announced at the annual Nevada State PTA
convention.
Publicize any awards given to local students at other
levels of judging.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES

Hold a Reflections Program workshop or a Family Arts
Night on Saturday, after school or at lunch for students to work on their
projects and provide supplies.
Enlist support of local businesses for supplies, awards
and to display Reflections Program entries.
Ask stores in your area to print student art work on
their bags.
Inquire with local businesses that print calendars
about possible use of student art work.
Plan a local traveling art show.
Print a Reflections Program Awards booklet listing the
program participants as well as the award recipients. Acknowledge those
who supported the program including parents, staff and community members.
Display local entries in school (e.g., hallways,
display case, library), at PTA functions, in local community buildings
(e.g., libraries, museums, banks, hospitals, nursing homes)
Publish student entries in a special Reflections
Program booklet or calendar and award it to Reflections Program
participants, give as a gift or as a thank you to judges, teachers and
volunteers.
Tape musical compositions, dance choreography, and
film/video production entries and play them at PTA functions and school
events. Give a copy to a local radio station/cable television station to
play.
Organize a special program/reception/assembly where
Reflections Program photography and visual arts entries can be displayed,
musical composition entries can be performed and literature entries can be
read aloud, and dance choreography and film/video production entries can
be played.
Make all Reflections Program entrants feel special.
Consider awarding students with certificates, ribbons, medallions,
buttons, plaques, trophies, art supplies, film, music supplies, gift
certificates, books, bookmarks, symphony tickets, or other items that
encourage future participation in the arts. Send congratulatory letters to
students.

FINDING JUDGES

Art, literature, dance, film, journalism, and music educators
or college/university professors
Teachers from other schools participating in the
Reflections Program
Art museum directors, docents, curators, or historians
Professional photographers and local artisans
Local symphony orchestra or choral directors,
musicians, conductors, or composers
Local dance conservatories, dance studios, ballets, or
theaters
Local multimedia/video production companies
Newspaper journalists, editors, or photographers
Local television stations
Arts advocacy organization presidents or directors

Instructions for Reflection

Reflections Program: “Diversity Means … “

The Reflections program is off to a great start all around the country. We want to make sure that all local chairs are aware of the following:
• Spanish translations for the Local Arts Chair Guide, as well as all Student Forms and Rules are available on the PTA Reflections.org site.

National PTA Reflections Information
• Instructional Videos for converting Reflections files to preferred formats, as well as download links for free video players that allow users to view .flv files are available on the National PTA website at

http://pta.org/4774.htm.
• MAC users who are unable to convert video files (Dance Composition/Film Production submissions) to .flv using free file conversion software such as VLC, may submit their files in other formats. As always, National PTA will accept and convert files in other formats from participants who experience difficulties in converting files to preferred formats.
• At the time Local PTA units submit their winning Reflections entries and forms to their next level up, they must also email a copy of the Local Participation Form to Reflections@pta.org. The Local Participation Form and instructions are available at http://www.ptareflections.org/cs/local_participation_form

Nevada PTA

Nevada Parent Teacher Association

PTA Reflections Packet 2011-2012

Fact sheet on Reflection

Requirements for PTA In Good Standing