This fall, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Reflections Contest gives students the opportunity to pursue their talents, while also getting the chance to win an award and add something to their resume. The Reflections Contest is an open forum to express their creative skills through several different art forms. This year’s submission theme is “I Belong,” and the contest is open until Oct. 24.
“The idea is to promote art so that students get engaged in what they’re doing and can express their ideas,” Sirisha Mantripragada, Frisco PTA Arts In Education chair member, said.
Engaging in this contest provides not only a creative outlet for participants, but also the chance at a scholarship or award.
“This art program has grants from the national PTA, so you’re not just entering it for the sake of a medal or a little reward, but there are scholarships attached to every program,” Mantripragada said. “Once you know what you’re doing, grabbing those opportunities and making sure that you are recognized is a whole new level.”
When designing a submission, it can help to think about yourself and what you want the project to represent. Assembling your work in this way can make the composition more authentic. Tansi Dogiparthi, a current freshman, used these techniques to enter the competition last year. She advanced to the district level and submitted a piece with immense depth.
“I took a picture of me hugging one of my friends as a reference photo,” Dogiparthi said. “Once I had that, I used the photo to draw myself hugging a silhouette. It’s like a shadow because they usually represent negativity since they’re dark, so the shadow was filled with a bunch of words saying stuff like, ‘I’m not perfect’ or ‘I’m not pretty,’ and it was me hugging it, so it was really cool.”
For a student to enter their artwork, they, or at least one member from their primary household, needs to be a member of the local PTA. Once their artwork is entered at the district level, there is an art show on Dec. 10 and 11, and all the art from different schools is displayed and judged. Once the winner is selected, they move on to the state level.
“We put materials and everything out for the local chairs to promote it at the local level so more students are engaged and they submit their artwork,” Mantripragada said. “They could also collaborate together and do art, music, dance or choreography.”
The pressure that comes with being a student makes it difficult to find time for creativity. They replace the hours they would usually dedicate to artistic endeavors with activities they think colleges want to see. By participating in this competition, students can find a way to rework creativity into their lives.
“I learned not to overcomplicate things, because if you do that, it can just make things harder for you,” Dogiparthi said. “That really applies to any contest. Don’t overcomplicate things, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself, because of course, you’ll not be successful through stress.”
