Hillcrest Co-Chairs: Lisa Arnett Swantek & Kate Albrecht
National PTA’s Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts, which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life. Each year, more than 300,000 students around the country in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+ year-old program helps them explore their own feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy and increase confidence.
The 2025-2026 Theme is I Belong!
Turn in projects to the Hillcrest office by: Monday, November 3
The annual Reflections theme is created by a student and selected through an annual theme search contest. This year’s theme, I Belong!, was submitted by Ben Morgan, a sixth grader at Lewis & Clark Middle School in Boise, Idaho.
How does it work?
*Students are invited to create works of art in any of six different arts categories—visual arts, film production, literature, music composition, photography and dance choreography‚ reflecting upon the theme for the year. Please review the category guidelines here before your student starts their project!
* Students can create as many projects as they like in as many categories as they like.
* Projects are submitted to the Hillcrest PTA and judged in divisions based on their grade: Primary (Pre-K-2), Intermediate (Grades 3-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8). There is also an Accessible Arts division for students with disabilities.
* All projects need an entry form. You can download and print a form here or pick one up from the cubbies in the Hillcrest vestible across from the office.
* Projects and entry forms are due to the Hillcrest office by Monday, Nov. 3. For visual art entries, there’s no need to wrap in cellophane or send a digital photo (we will do that for you!).
* Important reminder: Your student’s name should only appear on the back of your project. (Because all artwork is judged anonymously, names cannot be visible on the front.)
* Digital entries (music, dance, film, photography) can be uploaded to a free hosting service (Dropbox, Google Drive) and shared to hillcrest.reflections@gmail.com or turned into the office on a flash drive with your entry form. Because videos are judged anonymously, please do not announce or include your name at the beginning or end.
* All Hillcrest students who create a Reflections art project receive a participation certificate and will be treated to a special in-school celebratory lunch in November!
* From there, projects advance through a judging system through Council, Region, State and National levels of competition. Our Council level is called the Downers Grove Area Council and includes all District 58 schools as well as Darien School District 61. All students whose projects advance to the Council level are invited to attend a recognition ceremony in early December at a local middle school, where they will receive a ribbon and see their work on display.
* All students whose projects advance to the State level are invited to Spotlight, a state-wide Reflections celebration in May. Illinois PTA will announced state awards in March at IllinoisPTA.org/Reflections.
* Students with projects advancing to the National level are eligible for bronze, silver and gold medals and scholarships ranging from $200-$800. National awards are announced by May 1 at PTA.org/Reflections.
Looking for inspiration? Browse the virtual gallery of projects that made it to Nationals in last year’s Reflections program inspired by the theme “Embracing Imperfection.”
Hillcrest PTA 