REFLECTIONS

OVERVIEW

National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts, boosting student confidence and success in the arts and life.

Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+-year-old program helps them explore their thoughts, feelings, and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence, and find a love for learning that will help them succeed in school and life. The theme this year was “Accepting Imperfection.” Students were encouraged to create original works on this theme highlighting one of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts.

For the 2024-2025 year, hundreds of art entries were submitted at the school sites throughout Glendale Unified School District, out of which 142 were judged at the Council PTA level. At the Council level, 25 Award of Excellence winners, which are featured below, were then judged at First District PTA. From these 25, two moved on to the State competition and one moved on to the National competition.

Yellowjackets

Kit Sheffield, Grade 2, Franklin Elementary

Primary Division (Pre-K - Grade 2)

My film is a story about my experience with yellowjackets and how they are imperfect bugs.

I am who I am

Jaebin Lee, Grade 5, Monte Vista Elementary

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

Animation helps me to bring my imagination and ideas to life through the process of making the materials and filming on camera. My animation features a caterpillar who wants to be a butterfly, but becomes a moth instead. At first, he is disappointed, but when he sees another caterpillar staring up and admiring him, he realizes that he is beautiful just the way he is. I often see my friends and feel the same. But the truth is we are all beautiful in our own way when we accept our differences.

Girlie

Lily Kate Deason, Grade 8, Roosevelt Middle

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

Girlie is my short film about a girl whose Halloween costume forces her to confront what she thinks are her imperfections. I was inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art of “golden repair” that celebrates our history and stories instead of covering up flaws. I’ve faced bullying, exclusion, and pressure to disguise my true self. Like Girlie, I’ve learned differences and imperfections should be embraced. We might feel ashamed of our cracks, but in the end they’re the gold that lets light shine through us.

My Circle

Elva Aghajanyan, Grade 11, Clark Magnet High

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

My story is about a teenager who has obsessive compulsive disorder and is given a task by his psychiatrist to draw a different shape every morning in one try. As he follows through, he realizes that he is unable to draw a circle. For the entire day, he tries again and again to achieve drawing his “perfect” circle until he realizes that the circle he drew that morning was his best one, even if it’s not perfect.

Alisa You Don't Need To Be Perfect

Woodleigh Bicknell, Grade 1, Fremont Elementary

Primary Division (Pre-K - Grade 2)

I wrote a book about a girl who wants her life to be perfect. It begins to change until she realizes that being perfect doesn't really matter. Sometimes, I feel like Alisa when my drawings I make aren't really perfect. But, I realize that I just have to keep trying in my art.

Click here to read Alisa You Don't Need To Be Perfect.

No Tears In Art

Haley Kim, Grade 3, Valley View Elementary

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

This story shows how I accepted my mistakes as part of who I am.

Click here to read No Tears In Art.

Patchwork Heart

Chloe Hayrapetian, Grade 6, Verdugo Woodlands Elementary

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

This is a fictional story about a woman who wants everything to be perfect. With the help of a passing traveler, she finds out everything beautiful isn’t perfect.

Click here to read Patchwork Heart.

Perfect

Paige Jorban, Grade 11, Crescenta Valley High

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

I have spent much of my life obsessed with the idea that I could be perfect. While I took some creative liberties with certain events, most of this story is true: the struggles, the anxiety, and the pain of my life falling before my very eyes. But, by writing this, I can share my experiences with others who may be struggling with “perfection pressure”. I can have a written report of the roller coaster that is my teen years and an ending that still feels like a light in a tunnel. Proof that I’m still here, imperfections and all.

Click here to read Perfect.

Embracing Every Color
Ellin Choi, Grade 1, Lincoln Elementary
Primary Division (Pre-K - Grade 2)

Ashes to Beauty - shervin youssefian.png

Ashes to Beauty
Agapé Youssefian, Grade 4, Mountain Ave Elementary
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

I wanted to use different types of items that people would call trash and use them to create beautiful artwork.

2024-2025 Reflections - Ella Park - 7th Grade Submission for Visual Arts - Final - - Susie

Embracing the Beauty of Imperfection

Ella Evangeline Park, Grade 7, Toll Middle
Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

My artwork illustrates a girl with vitiligo, a condition that causes patches of different colored skin. I imagined her walking through feelings of self-consciousness and embarrassment, as she grapples with a desire to retreat from the world. While makeup offers a temporary solution, it fails to confront her deeper struggle for acceptance. Despite her insecurities, she embraces her uniqueness, demonstrating the importance of celebrating our individual qualities. Through this piece, I aim to convey a powerful message: We must learn to accept ourselves wholeheartedly, recognizing that our distinct traits and even our flaws are what truly make us special.

Mirror of Emotions

Valen Aznavourian, Grade 12, Crescenta Valley High
High School Division (Grades 9-12)

This piece is about accepting that sometimes you do not feel happy/confident while looking at yourself in the mirror, and that is okay. Sometimes putting on makeup can make you feel even more insecure. So, I decided to show how, instead of hiding your emotions, putting them into art can help you cope with those feelings of insecurity. I have found that it has been healthier for me to acknowledge these moments of doubt, versus hiding them away. To me, this is the perfect example of how imperfections can be turned into strength.

Mom

Daniel Vardanian, Grade 1, Verdugo Woodlands Elementary

Accessible Artist Division (All Grades)

The dream house of my imagination. It’s colorful and joyful, there is total happiness in it.

Everyone Is Imperfect

Amy Kwon, Grade 2, Mountain Ave Elementary

Primary Division (Pre-K-Grade 2)

My song is called Everyone Is Imperfect. It has a lot of instruments. My song is about how humans are imperfect. My song is not perfect because it's not the best.

Everyone Is ImperfectAmy Kwon

00:00 / 02:33

Perfect Enough For Me

Brooklyn Wick, Grade 5, Keppel Elementary

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

There are many different sounds in my piece, and it was very hard to find the right ones. I realized that there is no right or wrong way to do this and that struggling is a part of life. This piece will never be finished because there is always ways to improve my art. This piece is not perfect, but it is perfect enough for me.

Perfect Enough For MeBrooklyn Wick

00:00 / 02:24

Dissonance

Aiden Yoo, Grade 8, Rosemont Middle

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

This song is a bold and eclectic piece of music, featuring intricate polyrhythms, an unusual 11/8 time signature, and eccentric, unpredictable elements. The drumming ranges from highly complex to deceptively simple, with alternating patterns throughout. Frequent key changes and mismatched basslines and chords create a sense of intentional chaos, making the imperfections and oddities part of its charm. Embracing these flaws is key to appreciating the unique beauty of such unconventional music. It reminds us to accept and celebrate imperfection, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the unconventional sounds we often encounter.

DissonanceAiden Yoo

00:00 / 01:42

Rusty Truck

Kara Minsloff, Grade 2, Dunsmore Elementary

Primary Division (Pre-K - Grade 2)

Not everything needs to look perfect. This truck no longer works and has plants growing out of the back, but it is one of my favorite things in our neighborhood. I like it because even though it doesn't work it can still be appreciated for its beauty.

white-wagtail-katarina-doorly - sean doorly.jpg

Stepping Stones

Katarina Doorly, Grade 5, La Crescenta Elementary

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

My piece is about a white wagtail "accepting imperfection" by using pieces of trash as "stepping stones" to hop above the water in search of food. My dad and I were on vacation at Regents Canal in London, England, when I saw the wagtail hopping around. As an avid birder and photographer, I quickly snapped shots. My piece represents the theme well because the wagtails accept that trash in the river is an imperfection, they know a world without trash is the way to go, but they still use the trash as if it were a pile of rocks.

The Photographer

Chelsea Simmons, Grade 6, Dunsmore Elementary

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

My picture shows accepting imperfection because I meant to have their heads in it. The picture turned out just as good as the one with their heads in it. The picture I took with their heads in it was not the best because their hair was in the way of their faces. So in my opinion, the picture with their heads in it was worse than the ones with their heads in it.

Accepting You!

Alix Maluccio, Grade 12, Crescenta Valley High

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

Accepting imperfection is to be at peace with who you are. To have yourself go from a two-dimensional black-and-white version of yourself to color is noticing how to embrace who you are while learning to love yourself for all your imperfections. No one needs the “mask” but some put it on because it makes them feel safe in the hiding of their true self. The unmasking allows for the individual to share vulnerably all the imperfections allowing them to feel a sense of belonging because there is not mask disguising the truth.

Perfection and Imperfection

Jeremy Rhee, Grade 10, Crescenta Valley High

Accessible Artist Division (All Grades)

The parking meter standing askew in front of the blue sky, green trees, and red brick building was enough to catch my eye. Because unstable excitement rather than perfect boredom makes me feel infinitely free. I think there is no perfection in the world, but there are imperfections that strive to become perfect. Or I think that there were times when they were perfect, but as time passed, they lost their original form and became imperfect. I just wish there was a moment like that picture where perfection and imperfection freely blend together and I could laugh once a day.

Kayla Kim, age 8, I Love Mark Keppel, 2022

Music: Ikson – Wanna

Primary (Pre-K-Grade 2), Mark Keppel PTA

I wanted to tell that I love Mark Keppel. For my film the lips slowly open the mouth and the teeth showing Mark Keppel.

Olivia Harkins, age 10, Equalizer: SHOW YOUR VOICE, 2022

Music: iMovie stock music library

Intermediate (Grades 3-5), Dunsmore Avenue PTA

This is about a superhero that comes to Earth to help save the environment from global warming and help the people to love and respect each other.

Zachary Yang, age 11, Silent Voice, 2022

Animation created with iMovie (including sound effects) and FlipAClip apps on the iPad.

Middle School (Grades 6-8), Mountain Avenue PTA

My film “Silent Voice” shows that there are multiple ways to show your voice. I was inspired by a character in a movie who was mute. It made me wonder about how someone who is unable to speak can speak up for themselves. In “Silent Voice” the main character shows their voice by drawing and presenting, which are uncommon ways to show your voice.

Will Hays, age 16, Tethered, 2022

Music: "Ending" by Peter Sandberg, "Progressive Progress" by Howard Harper-Barnes, and

"Fantastic Voyage" by Coolio (prod. DJ Wino)

Film Production, High School (Grades 9-12)
Crescenta Valley High School PTSA

"Tethered," features a young man named Leonard who takes

a stand in his own life. I’m "Showing my Voice" through this

film by reflecting my experience of having to find the balance between my schoolwork and extracurricular activities while maintaining my relationships with my friends.

Dominic Koh, age 18, My Voice is Special, 2022

Film Production, Special Artist (All Grades)
College View SEPTA

I don't often use my voice because it is hard for me. However,

I have learned to say, "Hi Mom!" and I know it makes my mom happy.

You Don't Have to be Perfect to be Worth It

Goldie Gordon, Grade 2, Glenoaks Elementary

Primary Division (Pre-K - Grade 2)

I love dance and I wanted to show that you don’t have to be perfect and nothing has to be perfect. You just have to like it and you just have to know that you did a good job.

Imperfection

Sosie Hakopyan, Grade 5, Mountain Ave Elementary

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

This dance is about understanding that you don’t have to be perfect, and on the contrary imperfection is often beautiful. I intentionally recorded this dance with one take and in doing so made mistakes. These imperfections do not take away from the beauty of the piece, movement, or the message. I let the music move and guide me naturally. The floorwork in the dance represents adversity, the leaps symbolize struggles, and the turns celebrate my perseverance through it all. Art, just like people, can be imperfect and the measure of one’s ability or talent is not perfection.

Who You Are

Emma Shomer, Grade 6, Franklin Elementary

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

There are some days where I wish I would look different or change the way I am! But I don’t need to think about that because it’s good to accept imperfections and how people are! I think that we all know that there is someone in the world that wishes they looked like you. Everyone is unique and has their own kind of style. Imperfections are not a bad thing! No one is perfect and the only thing that we are perfect at is being imperfect!

Strange

Brianna Legacion, Grade 12, Glendale High

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

As a dancer, I learned to accept my imperfections and grow from them. I have discovered my own qualities and strengths as a dancer. No one is perfect, but everyone has something unique about them. It is important to accept who you are and be yourself. My solo, titled Strange, represents the acceptance that someone may not be good for you. Everyone makes mistakes, but you can always learn from them.

REFLECTIONS

OVERVIEW​

You Don't Have to be Perfect to be Worth It​

Goldie Gordon, Grade 2, Glenoaks Elementary

Primary Division (Pre-K - Grade 2)

Imperfection​

Sosie Hakopyan, Grade 5, Mountain Ave Elementary

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)

Who You Are​

Emma Shomer, Grade 6, Franklin Elementary

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

Strange​

Brianna Legacion, Grade 12, Glendale High

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

OVERVIEW

You Don't Have to be Perfect to be Worth It

Imperfection

Who You Are

Strange