Reflections General Instructions
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Trabuco Hills PTSAReflections General Instructions
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Trabuco Hills PTSAGENERAL STUDENT PARTICIPATION RULES
Students must adhere to the following General Student Participation Rules as well as the rules for their specific arts area.
The theme for the 20112012 PTA Reflections Program is Diversity Means Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the theme may be submitted.
Student Eligibility Through Local PTAs Students must participate in the Reflections Program through a local PTA/PTSA in good standing. Parent groups not affiliated with National PTA are not eligible to sponsor this program. It is the responsibility of the state and local PTA/PTSA to determine each students eligibility in the Reflections Program. A student may develop an entry in or outside of school. Grade Divisions Students may enter the Reflections Program in the appropriate division for their grade. The divisions are as follows: Primary: preschoolgrade 2 Middle: grades 68 Intermediate: grades 35 Senior: grades 912
If students do not fall under specific grade divisions, National PTA suggests that they be grouped as follows: Primary: up to age 7 Middle: ages 1113 Intermediate: ages 810 Senior: ages 14+ It is the responsibility of the local PTA/PTSA to determine the appropriate division if necessary.
Arts Areas Students may submit works in any of six arts areas: Dance Choreography Musical Composition Film Production Photography Literature Visual Arts
National PTA does not limit the number of entries a student may submit.
Originality Each entry must be the original work of one student only. An adult may not alter the creative integrity of a students work. Because the program is designed to encourage and recognize each students individual creativity, help from an adult or collaboration with other students is not allowed. Only one student may be recognized as the award recipient for each entry. Other individuals may appear in or perform a students work, but the work itselfthe dance choreography or film production (including screenplay, camerawork, and directing) or musical composition (including written score and any lyrics), etc. must be the creative product of one student only. (See the specific arts area rules for details.)
Use of copyrighted material (other than recorded music in dance choreography and film production entries) is prohibited. Plagiarism is defined as taking and using another persons ideas, writings, or inventions as ones own. Plagiarized entries will be disqualified and returned to the students.
Student Entry Form All participants are required to complete and sign the Student Entry Form. Students who have not completely filled out the entry form will not be eligible to participate in the program. In situations where the child cannot fill out the entry form or write legibly, a parent may complete the form.
Beginning in 2011-2012, students must title their works, and the title must be included on the Student Entry Form. For most arts areas, students must also answer a few questions about how they created their works; see Required Information on the Student Entry Form. All entries must also include an artist statement that describes how the piece relates to the theme. Each participant is required to submit an artist statement that describes what inspired him or her to create the work and how it relates to the theme. The artist statement is mandatory for all entries in all grade divisions. The statement may not exceed 250 words (1,000 characters maximum); there is no minimum length.
Children with Disabilities PTA believes that each child with a disability should be provided a free and appropriate public education. Therefore, the Reflections Program at the national level does not have a special division for students with disabilities. National PTA believes it is the right of parents to place their child in the Reflections Program grade division that best reflects the childs developmental age. However, guidelines for state and local Reflections Programs may vary. Check with your state PTA for its guidelines. Deadlines Students must submit all works by the deadline established by their local PTA/PTSA. Each local PTA/PTSA sponsoring the program sets its own deadline for entries, in adherence with state, district/region, and council deadlines. Entries are judged at the local level and the top entries are forwarded to the next level of judging (council, district/region, or state). Direct all questions regarding deadlines or rules to your state PTA office or arts chair. National PTA does not record deadlines for local, council, district/region, or state PTAs. Judging All national entries are judged on artistic merit, creativity, mastery of the medium, and interpretation of the theme. Mastery of the medium in the context of the national Reflections Program pertains to the level of skill the student demonstrates in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area. However, a well-developed concept is more important than technique. Entries will be judged primarily on how well the student uses his or her artistic vision to portray the theme.
The Reflections Program makes no restriction on content or subject in artwork. Students who are submitting entries need to meet school and/or local and state PTA standards. Each PTA determines its own judges for the program. Under no condition may parents or students contact the judges to dispute the status of an entry. All decisions of judges are final.