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Reflections: It's All About the Arts
Reflections: It's All About the Arts
The PTA Reflections Art Program provides access to the arts and opportunities for recognition to help students explore their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas using art and to develop confidence and a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.
The Reflections program aims to:
Inspire students and families to creatively engage around the annual theme.
Share resources to support families' artistic endeavors and access arts education opportunities.
Provide student artists access to recognition and celebrations for their creative talent.
Encourage continued participation in the arts.
2025-2026 Reflections Theme: I Belong!
2025-2026 Reflections Theme: I Belong!
The theme for the 2025-2026 Reflections program is I Belong!, a compelling and inclusive prompt designed to inspire students across all grades to reflect on belonging, identity, and community through their art.
This theme encourages participants to explore and express what it means to feel accepted, valued, and able to be their authentic selves—whether that is in family, school, clubs, culture, or other communities.
For more information about this year's theme, please see these articles from the National PTA's online magazine, Our Children:
Mattos Reflections Program Guidelines
Mattos Reflections Program Guidelines
As this will be the first year that the Mattos PTA will be participating in the Reflections program, we will focus on the Visual Arts category only and limit the medium to colored pencils (e.g., drawings, illustrations, sketches, etc.). We look forward to expanding our participation to include additional categories in future years.
For more details, please refer to the Mattos PTA Reflections Program Guidelines document as well as the additional resources linked below, and stay tuned for further updates from the PTA!
PTA’s Reflections Art Program brings art to life across the nation.pdfHelpful Resources
Helpful Resources
Mattos PTA Reflections Program Guidelines (PDF) (Mattos PTA)
General Rules for Reflections Program (California State PTA)
Visual Arts Category Guidelines (DOCX) (National PTA)
Tips and Guidelines for Crafting an Entry (National PTA)
Tips for Writing an Artist Statement (The Art of Education)
Explore the 2025-2026 PTA Reflections Theme: "I Belong!" (Our Children)
Meet Ben Morgan, the 2025-2026 Reflections Theme Search Contest Winner! (Our Children)
Galleries of Past Reflections Program Winners in the Visual Arts Category (National PTA)
2027-2028 Reflections Theme Search Contest
2027-2028 Reflections Theme Search Contest
Every year, the National PTA hosts an annual Reflections Theme Search Contest to select one original student-created theme to inspire student artists as they participate in a future PTA Reflections program. The national winning student will receive a $100 award and national recognition. Themes are selected two years in advance.
The California State PTA will submit five themes from students in the state to the National PTA for consideration. We encourage participants to explore the past 50+ years of winning themes (PDF) for reference and inspiration. Please note that past themes and duplicate submissions will not be considered.
Please visit the link below to submit your entry. Entries will be accepted until November 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM (PT).
The following details are needed for the entry form:
PTA District: Sixth District PTA
PTA Council: Milpitas Unified
PTA Unit Name: Mabel Mattos Elementary PTA
National PTA ID: 11550672
Street Address: 1750 McCandless Drive
City: Milpitas
ZIP Code: 95035
Reflections Chair's Name: Ravneet Kaur
Reflections Chair's Email: reflections@mabelmattospta.org
We wish you the best of luck!
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