NATIONAL PTA’S REFLECTIONS 2026-27 THEME
🎨ART CONTEST
“What My Culture Means to Me”
What does culture mean to you? It might be your family traditions, food, music, language, celebrations, stories, neighborhood, values, sports, community, or something completely unique to you. This year, Sonora students are invited to explore the theme “What My Culture Means to Me” and turn their ideas into an original work of art! PTA Reflections is a national arts program that gives students the opportunity to express themselves creatively and be recognized for their work.
SUBMIT YOUR ART HERE!
Please turn your original artwork in to the school office. But before you do, take a photo, as you’ll need it when completing the digital submission form. Thank you!!
✨ How It Works
1. Think About the Theme
Start with this year's theme: “What My Culture Means to Me” There is no one “right” way to interpret it. We want to see what the theme means to YOU. Students might think about:
- What traditions are special to my family?
- What people, places, foods, music, or celebrations are important to me?
- What stories have been passed down in my family?
- What makes my community special?
- What values are important to me?
- What is something about my culture I would like others to understand?
- Then turn that idea into art!
2. 🎭 Choose an Art Category
Students may enter in one or more of these six categories:
- 💃 Dance Choreography - Create and perform an original dance.
- ✍️ Literature - Write an original story, poem, essay, or other literary work.
- 📸 Photography - Take an original photograph that expresses the theme.
- 🎬 Film Production - Create an original short film.
- 🎵 Music Composition - Compose an original piece of music.
- 🎨 Visual Arts - Create an original work of art such as a drawing, painting, collage, or other visual artwork.
3. 🖌️ Create Your Original Work
Your entry should be:
- Inspired by this year's theme: “What My Culture Means to Me”
- Created by the student - Parents, teachers, and family members can encourage and support students, but the creative choices and artwork must belong to the student.
- Created specifically for Reflections - Entries should be new, original work created for this year's program.
4. 💭 Give Your Artwork a Title & Artist Statement
Every entry needs:
- A Title - Give your artwork its own creative title.
- An Artist Statement - In 10–100 words, tell the judges about your artwork and how it connects to the theme.
- Think of the artist statement as answering: “What does my artwork show, and what does it say about what my culture means to me?”
- The artist statement is important because judges consider both the artwork and the student's explanation of how it connects to the theme.
📋Submit Your Entry to Sonora PTA
- All entries begin right here at Sonora Elementary.
- Sonora Submission Deadline: October 8th
- Submit Your Entry: 🔗 Submission Form
- Be sure to review the rules for your art category before submitting.
- 🏫 Which Division Is My Student In? Students compete with other students in their grade-level division:
- Primary: Preschool–2nd Grade
- Intermediate: 3rd–5th Grade
- Middle School: 6th–8th Grade
- Accessible Arts: Available for eligible students of all grade levels
- ⭐ Important for our Sonora families: Even though our 6th graders attend Sonora Elementary, Reflections places 6th grade in the Middle School division.
🏆 How Are Entries Judged?
- Reflections isn't just about being the most experienced artist!
- Judges consider three things:
- 40% – Interpretation of the Theme
How clearly and creatively does the artwork connect to “What My Culture Means to Me”? - 30% – Creativity
How original and imaginative is the student's idea? - 30% – Technical Skill
How does the student use the techniques of their chosen art category?
- That means the idea and meaning behind the artwork matter a lot. Students do not need to be professional artists to create a great Reflections entry.
🌟 What Happens After Sonora?
Every journey starts at the school level.
SONORA ELEMENTARY
Selected entries advance to
⬇
HARBOR COUNCIL
⬇
4TH DISTRICT PTA
⬇
CALIFORNIA STATE PTA
⬇
Top California entries may advance to
NATIONAL PTA
Along the way, students may receive recognition and awards for their creativity and interpretation of the theme.
❤️ Most Importantly: Have Fun Creating!
- Reflections isn't about creating the “perfect” piece of art. It's about giving students a chance to tell their story, their way.
Draw it.
Write it.
Photograph it.
Dance it.
Film it.
Compose it.
We can't wait to see what “What My Culture Means to Me” looks like through the eyes of our Sonora Eagles!
Category Guidelines
Dance
Film Production
Visual Arts
DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY is the act of creating movement. The choreographer (student submitting entry) maybe the performer or one of the performers, but the choreographer does not have to perform in the entry.
Visual Arts
Film Production
Visual Arts
VISUAL ARTS include many art forms that are visual in nature. The artist (student submitting entry) is a person who captures their own thoughts and ideas to create a visual piece of art.
Film Production
Film Production
Film Production
FILM PRODUCTION is the process of making a film. The producer (student submitting the entry) is not required to appear in the film but if the student chooses to, a camera tripod may be used. All screenwriting, directing and editing must be done by the student producer. All entries must be original student footage. PowerPoint presentations are prohibited.
Click here for Category Guidelines.
Literature
Music Composition
Film Production
LITERATURE is the art of writing. The author (student submitting entry) is a person who expresses their own thoughts and ideas through the use of words. Authors submit a single literary work, handwritten or typed, using grade-appropriate grammar, punctuation and spelling. Collections of literary work (such as poems and short stories) are not accepted.
Music Composition
Music Composition
Music Composition
MUSIC COMPOSITION is the process of creating a new piece of music. The composer (student submitting entry) is a person who expresses their own thoughts and ideas through the use of sound. The student composer may submit an entry performed by an individual or group and/or make use of a sound library generated performance of a composed sco
MUSIC COMPOSITION is the process of creating a new piece of music. The composer (student submitting entry) is a person who expresses their own thoughts and ideas through the use of sound. The student composer may submit an entry performed by an individual or group and/or make use of a sound library generated performance of a composed score. Student composers are not required to perform their composition, but a recording of the composition must be included. Middle and high school grade divisions must include music score/notation, either traditional or tablature, or a written reflective statement that provides a musically technical explanation of how the music was created (100 words or less).
Photography
Music Composition
Music Composition
PHOTOGRAPHY is the process of creating an image. The photographer (student submitting entry) is a person who captures their own thoughts and ideas with a camera. By focusing on objects using various lenses, filters and light sources, photographers may demonstrate the use of photographic techniques conventionally or digitally.