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Date: 4/4/2023
MONSON — Four students in the district recently placed at the state level in the National Parent Teacher Association Reflections art competition, with three placing first and moving on to the national level.
According to pta.org, “The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life.” Spanning pre-K through grade 12, over 300,000 students participate, creating and submitting original works of art.
The program has run for over 50 years, and “helps them explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life,” according to the PTA.
Monson Parent Teacher Student Association President, Denise Newland, said the statewide competition received over 40 total submissions this year, with 26 students being recognized at the state level and 13 students going on to the national level of the competition. The local students who received awards were invited to the state’s PTA Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration on April 1 at the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts in Middleborough, Newland said.
This year’s theme was “Show Your Voice.” Submissions could be made in one or all of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts.
Elliot Greene, a sixth grader, received a first place Award of Excellence at the middle school level in the medium of digital photography, for his photo titled “Stood Out Among The Rest.” Greene said of his piece, “Over the year I took pictures of a tree. It stood out among the rest with a strong voice. I realized that throughout the seasons, the tree changed and it’s voice changed with it.”
In the category of visual arts at the middle school level, first place Award of Excellence went to sixth grader Stephanie Gilmore. Her piece titled “Being Left Out” was in the medium of clay. Gilmore said, “My art, ‘Being Left Out,’ shows a chameleon of a different color being left all alone because of its color, shape, and size. I wanted this to be shown for more awareness of loneliness.”
Another first place Award of Excellence in the category of visual arts at the high school level went to 11th grader Allyssa Grinnell. Grinnell’s medium was drawing through Procreate (a digital illustration program,) and her piece titled “The Best Medicine.” Grinnell said, “I show my voice by using my sense of humor to make friends and family laugh and brighten their day. This simple act goes a long way, especially to make someone feel better after a bad day, or make a good day even better. In my digital artwork, I portray my friends laughing with me, in a moment I caught on camera. I truly believe laughter is the best medicine, one to be prescribed to everyone.”
A third place Award of Achievement at the middle school level went to sixth grader Yeriel Gonzalez. Gonzalez piece, titled “The Martin Luther King,” is mixed media of paint, clay, and collage. Gonzalez said, “The Martin Luther King is about remembering how Martin Luther King Jr. saved Black lives.”
Newland said the competition is made possible through a community effort, and gives credit to the various participants who put in the time and effort to make this a success. Newland said, “Monson PTSA has been involved with Reflections for many years with varying levels of participation. I would like to give thanks to Mrs. Kathy Novak, the art teacher at Granite Valley School, Mrs. Cynthia Meserve, school librarian at Granite Valley School, and the Monson Public Schools administrators and Monson PTSA members who help organize and support the program, and also a special thanks to the Monson Arts Council members who volunteered their time to act as judges for us this year.”
Newland said, “We hope to continue this partnership next year and see participation in the program grow.” According to Newland, the theme for next year is going to be “I Am Hopeful Because…,” and students can start working on projects on their own at any time. The submission deadline has not been set yet, but is generally sometime around late November or early December, Newland said.
For more information or with any questions, contact monsonptsa@gmail.com.