2022-2023 Reflections: Show Your Voice!

A Letter to Reflections Chairs

Hello PTA Reflections Chairs & Presidents!

I'm Amanda Black, the South Dakota PTA Reflections Chair for this upcoming school year. Below is Reflections information for the 2022-2023 school year including deadlines and how to enter Reflections entries on the National PTA Student Entry Portal. Please pass along the info below to anyone I may have missed. Thank you for volunteering and supporting our children in the arts through the PTA Reflections Program. I love this program because it recognizes kids for being creative and expressing their thoughts.

Online registration & entry: Each unit will sign up their local and council unit on the National PTA website! Each unit will use the Student Entry Portal to enter their artwork and advance their entries. The National PTA Student Entry portal is designed to allow each unit to upload their entries and advance them to the correct levels.

Start by registering your unit and/or council:

1. Go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/22-23ReflectionsRegistration

2. Enter the needed information such as: PTA name, PTA 8 digit ID number, Chair person information, address, etc.

3. Once you have registered, you will be able to access the Reflections portal for your unit!

Entering Submissions Online:

After Reflections entries have been received, you may enter them on the portal by uploading artwork, photos, music, etc. onto the portal and creating student entries. *Note: When creating an entry, you will enter the student’s name, address, title of work and artist statement.

1. You are able to note what level of judging the entry is at currently. For example: local, council, state, etc. Entries that are advanced to a council level will automatically be sent to the Council unit. Entries that are advanced to the state level will appear in the state unit portal for me to view.

2. Note: It is important to make sure that all of the rules have been followed for each entry. An entry that hasn’t followed the guidelines will be disqualified.

3. Make sure to select “South Dakota” on the drop-down menu for each state. If the incorrect state is accidentally selected, it will go to a different state.

4. A suggestion: Use the Adobe Scan app to take a picture of each entry. This is a free app and it is amazing! The app will allow you to take more than one photo if needed and then turns the photo into a pdf. The pdf can then be uploaded onto the portal. This step works for Literature, Photography and Visual Arts entries.

**For music, dance and video entries, you will need to upload the file from the flash drive it was received on.

List of Reflections Winners: Each unit chair is asked to email me a list of the winners/entries that have been submitted to the state. This information should be emailed to southdakotareflections@gmail.com This ensures every entry is accounted for in the Reflections portal.

Forms, rules & other Reflections Info: The State PTA website has information and forms needed for the Reflections program. Everything from entry forms, student rules, judging rubrics and tally sheets needed for state entry can be found below. The National PTA website, https://www.pta.org.home/programs/reflections/startyourprogram also has a Local Leader’s Guide that is very helpful. The National PTA website has Reflections logos, certificates, forms and sample volunteer thank you letters.

Reflections Recognition: PTA Units and councils are highly encouraged to recognize your students for their amazing works of art! The PTA store has certificates, medals and trophies. I would also encourage local units to recognize everyone that enters the program with a ribbon. These may also be found at the PTA store website: https://www.shoppta.com/

Stay Connected: Facebook SD Reflections group: “SD PTA Reflections”

SD PTA Reflections Email: southdakotarelfections@gmail.com.

Text or call with questions regarding Reflections: Amanda Black (605) 216-7153

IMPORTANT DATES:

Non-Council Entries submitted using the portal: December 1st

Council Entries submitted to the State level: December 14th

Councils will receive the State Level entries for judging by January 3rd

Judging Scores from Councils due back to state: January 27th

State Results will be posted early March

State Award Winners are invited to the Reflections Banquet held during the PTA State Convention in April.

National Results are posted early May.

I look forward to working with you this year! Please feel free to contact me with questions about the PTA Reflections program.

Sincerely,

Amanda Black

SD PTA Reflections Chair

Southdakotareflections@gmail.com

Want to get a head start?

These additional resources will help you enhance and improve your Reflections program:

Local Leader E-learning Course provides an overview of what steps you can take to successfully manage your Reflections program.
Head to PTA.org/ArtsEd to find and download resources to help you prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in your Reflections program.
Use the BAND and Your Reflections Program resource to learn about the many features BAND has to offer, including file sharing, chat rooms and posts. BAND can help make managing your Reflections program easier and more impactful.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, National PTA and participating PTAs across the country learned new and successful ways to manage the Reflections program. Check this In Person or At Home Reflections resource to find some of the most impactful tips and tricks discovered.
Download our Reflections Coloring Book and these Reflections At Home Activities for the whole family. Share these with families in your school community to help inspire them to create!