PTA Reflections Contest 2012-2013 Theme: The Magic of a Moment

Please consider inviting your students to participate in the PTA Reflection Contest. The detailed information can be found on the Oak Hill website (under PTA). However, Ive included the basic information here. Reflections Program works can be created within the classroom, if desired, or at home. ALL EntriesAn Artist Statement and title are REQUIRED. Please write or type the artist statement on a separate sheet of paper and label the paper with school and student name on the BACK of the statement. This is a MANDATORY step for Indiana PTA judging. We would like to have any Oak Hill entries submitted no later than November 16th. After this date, all entries from Oak Hill will be evaluated. The top 2 in each category and age division will be chosen for the final submission to the contest. Students can now submit works in SIX areas: Literature Musical Composition Photography Visual Dance choreography Film/video production NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER UNIT Each Indiana PTA Unit in good standing may submit entries to the State Reflections Program. You may submit no more than 2 entries in each of the categories per age division. For example: A unit containing grades K-5 may submit 2 entries in Literature for grades K-2 and 2 entries for grades 3-5. NO SUBSTITUTIONS ARE ALLOWED. Regrettably, we will have to disqualify those schools that do not follow the above guidelines. OFFICIAL FORMS: The process in which local unit winning entries are entered into the state competition has changed dramatically. In fact, National PTA is still working on the entry form but it will be much simpler for all involved. A simple step by step process at the local level is described below: Step #1: Students are told about the Reflections Program and the theme The Magic of a Moment Step #2: Students complete artwork for Reflections program. There are 6 categories to choose from: Dance Choreography, Film/Video, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, or Visual Arts. Step #3: Students complete a paper copy of the form titled Student Entry Form/Local Entry Only (This informal entry form is intended for use for local level judging. If the students artwork is selected to go on to the state level, this paper form will be mailed, along with the entry to the Indiana PTA.). Step #4: Students turn in artwork by the local unit deadline (November 16th). Step #5: Our school chooses 2 winning entries at each age division for each category to send to the state level, except the Special Artist Division. In the Special Artist Division, each local unit may send in 2 entries in each category for every age division represented at the school. (I.e. a K-8 school may send in 6 entries in each category; a K-12 school may send in 8 entries in each category.) However, as the Special Artist Division is a non-graded division, the entries chosen do not have to reflect any particular age division or grade. (In other words, a K-8 school may send in 6 winning visual arts entries, and these entries could all be from artists considered to be in the 3rd grade.) Step #6: Upon completion of the local program, students whose winning entries are selected to move to the next level of the National PTA Reflections program will complete an online entry process that will include an upload of their artwork. (Further instructions on this process forthcoming).

TITLING ARTWORK In the past titles for the artwork were optional. THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE. Titles are now mandatory for all pieces of art in every division. The title must be chosen by the student alone and is considered part of the artistic process. ARTIST STATEMENT It is a REQUIREMENT of Indiana PTA that each Artist Statement must be submitted to Indiana PTA on a separate piece of paper. You may choose to photocopy just the Artist Statement portion of the Student/Local Entry form with everything below the Artist Statement (the student and school information) covered up. Please label the back of the paper with the name of the student and the name of the school. This sheet should be included with the Student/Local Entry Form in the clear page protector attached to the entry. Our judges have specifically requested that this step be taken to aid in the judging process. SUBMITTING ORIGINAL ENTRIES Please note that it is a REQUIREMENT of Indiana PTA that the original entries in ALL categories be mailed to the state for judging. Our judges have requested that they have access to the original artwork in order to be able to fairly judge all entries. COMPLETING THE ONLINE STUDENT ENTRY PROCESS Indiana PTA has not received information yet as to how this process will work. We do know that visual arts and photography entries will need to be photographed and the photo file will need to be uploaded. Also, the student, his or her parents, or/and the Local Arts Chair will need access to the internet in order to complete this process. The State Reflections Committee will work with units to help with this process. DANCE, FILM/VIDEO, AND MUSIC ENTRIES SPECIAL NOTE These entries may be sent to Indiana PTA using flash drives, CD-ROMs, or DVDs. The media will be returned to the units at the PTA Convention starting on May 4, 2013 with the other Reflections entries. Please use a file format accepted by National PTA. (These are listed on the rules sheet for each area.) It is very important that the track data for these files are blank. The only acceptable data entries are title and date. Artist, comments, album, etc. must be blank. Also, at no point in time during the recording can any student or school name be stated or printed. If a dance or film/video entry has a title card the card may only include the title and not a student name, performers names, or school information. This is mandatory for both Indiana PTA and National PTA entries. NUMBER OF WINNERS SELECTED BY INDIANA PTA Indiana PTA will select 1 Outstanding Interpretation in each category and in each grade division. The number of winners at the Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merits levels will be based upon the number of entries received in each category and in each grade division. NOTIFICATION OF STATE WINNERS BY INDIANA PTA After the state judging has been completed in February 2013, we will notify all Outstanding Interpretations, Awards of Excellence and Award of Merit winners in writing. A day or two later, Presidents and Principals will be notified of the students winning in their school. PTA Presidents will also receive in late March or early April via the Convention mailing the composite winner list. Reflections chairmen that wish to receive a copy of the winners list need to email the State Reflections Chair Debbie Fox, at Dfox1@indianapta.org RETURN OF STATE ENTRIES AND DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFICATES The entries will be available for pick up at State Convention on May 4, 2013. Each PTA Council is responsible for picking up entries and certificates for all categories at State Convention. Unit Presidents or Reflections Chairmen need to contact their Council President to arrange to pick up the entries from them. Units not affiliated with a council may pick up their entries at Convention or make arrangements with their Region VP. OFFICIAL DEADLINE: All ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED/HAND DELIVERED ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15, 2013 TO THE INDIANA PTA STATE OFFICE!