The 2023-2024 Reflections theme:
Long Beach Council PTA facilitates the National PTA’s flagship art program, Reflections, at our local level. LBCPTA guides, collaborates with PTA parent volunteers and offers this program to TK-12th grade in 6 possible mediums, Visual Art, Photography, Literature, Music Composition, Film and Dance. Every year is a different theme.
Reflections resources can be found here
2022-2023 Reflections artist page
2021-2022 Reflections artist page
2020-2021 Reflections artist page
For any questions, please contact Shannon Hilleshiem at reflections@longbeachcouncilpta.org
Deadline for entries to be submitted to Long Beach Council PTA for 2023-2024 is Tuesday, November 14th.
Congratulations Skylar for making it all the way to CAPTA!
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2022-2023 Featured Artists
Music Entry
Ajala Sen
Hughes Middle - Grade 8
Title
Voice to Find
Artist Statement
It may be challenging to find a way to express yourself and may take time to open up, but when you do, you find not just your voice but another piece of yourself. My song conveys the idea of understanding who you are and standing up for what you believe in. I play guitar and sing about the struggles and finding one's voice. You may feel alone, but know that you are not. Share your thoughts and ideas with others and you will find people like you and different from you, but most of all, you will find yourself. When you have, know that you have earned all that you have gained from finding your voice.
Film
Amelia Martinez
Los Cerritos Elementary - Grade 5
Title
Confidence
Artist Statement
My animation is called "Confidence". It relates to the theme because it shows that you shouldn't let people put you down no matter who you are.
Dance Choreography
Angelina Del Gaudio
Millikan High School - Grade 11
Title
Emotions Through Motion
Artist Statement
Sometimes I find myself tripping over sentences in a conversation when I try to express an emotion as simple as gratitude. When verbal communication scares you the same way as standing at the edge of a steep cliff, non-verbal communication through movement can become an alternate outlet for expression. When I dance, movement allows my voice to be amplified as loud as the music I am dancing to. In this piece, I feel as if I am screaming at the top of my lungs “I love you!” to the person who picked me up and saved me.
Visual Art
Evelyn Hernandez Lujan
Millikan High School - Grade 11
Title
Continuity and Consistency Over Time
Artist Statement
My piece is directed towards women's suffrage. It contains symbols from 3 literature pieces: The Scarlet Letter, Invisible Man, "Drinking under the moon she goes laughing", and "The yellow wallpaper". I used a branding iron of the letter A for The Scarlet Letter, a shot of alcohol or "Drinking under the moon she goes laughing, a briefcase with papers flying out of it for Invisible Man and a yellow wallpaper for The Yellow Wallpaper. Each symbol represents how society confines and continues to silence the voices of women.
Visual Art
Liliana Rumion
Minnie Gant - Grade 2
Title
My World of Emotions
Artist Statement
I express my voice through hair, make-up and fashion. I created a 6 look photo collage to express my emotions. I did my own clothes, hair and make-up. SADNESS is expressed by the color blue and my eyes looking down. HAPPINESS is expressed by the color yellow and growing flowers. MYSTERIOUS is expressed by the color black and my disguise gear. I create CALM through my face expression and hand position. ANGER is expressed by the color red and the symbol of fire. INSPIRED is expressed through rainbow colors down my face leading to sparkly ideas in my brain.
Photography
Lucia Dorjuan
Fremont Elementary - Grade 4
Title
A Caged Bird Flys
Artist Statement
This photo is about me,when the Covid 19 pandemic happened. I felt like I was in a cage, stuck, and unable to go anywhere, but when I came back to school I felt like I could go places and I felt that I was in my habitat, but I was shy so I wouldn't go and move that much. This for me relates to the bird because I was shy and I would sometimes just stand somewhere but how I am not caged in I can fly wherever I want just like this bird.
Literature
Matilda Iem
Millikan High School - Grade 12
Title
Oh, The Humanity
Artist Statement
In this poem, I touch upon the vast prejudices plaguing our society and the often violent results of such normalized views to ultimately ask, “Why?”. My work relates to the theme by showing how these biases deeply affect others’ perception of commonly marginalized groups, generally leading to our voices and values being overlooked. It vocalizes my personal discontent with the matter and the way it often invalidates my own identity and very humanity. My poem questions the irrationality of all this prejudiced aggression towards fellow humans.
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