The National Arts & Humanities Month is this October and in celebration of this, the annual PTA Reflections competition is being held.

Last year, over 300,000 students from over 8,000 schools gathered in Washington D.C for this contest in honor of the opening of the Reflections Art Exhibit at the Dept. of Education.

Art students are working hard to make to ensure their pieces be submitted for the event. Thousands of students from across the country will review a collective theme and create original pieces of art.

This competition is a nationally acclaimed student recognition program to encourage artistic creativity in the classroom and at home. Students of all grades and abilities may participate.

This year, students must submit their projects revolving around the 2016-17 theme: What is your story? The theme for this year was chosen by the Reflections Theme Search Contest.

Students can choose from the available arts categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts.

After submitting their pieces, the judges look for three components when evaluating the artwork: interpretation, creativity, and technique.

Students are also required to submit an artist statement for the competition. They must answer questions such as: who/what was your inspiration? What is your personal connection to the theme? What did you use to create your work?

Numerous prizes are available for the winners of the competition. The biggest prize is an expense-paid trip to the National PTA Competition.

Scholarships available for the winners are an $800 Young Artist Scholarship and $200 Young Artist Scholarship for second place.

Students from AHS will be competing in the competition this year.

This year we have a total of 17 pieces from various students.

For the first time in Annandale’s History we have 6 entries from our special ed. students. All works of art will be on display in Claussen Hall today and tomorrow.

Judging  will be held November 14th and November 15th from 4:45-6:00.

District for judging, each participate will receive a certificate for participating.  In addition, the first place winner in each category will receive a  $20.00 gift card.