Reflections 2026–27: rules, requirements and tips, all in one place.
Here is everything Ponce Explorers and families need to know to enter this year’s PTA Reflections Arts Program.
Ponce Explorers, the stage is yours! 🌎❤️ Reflections, the National PTA’s arts recognition program, is back, and this year’s theme is one every single student at Ponce can answer in their own unique way: “What My Culture Means to Me.”
Ponce students have earned recognition at the state and national levels before. Could you be next? Read on for the full guide, then grab your sketchbook, camera, notebook, instrument or dancing shoes and get creating!
Key Dates
Ponce entry deadline: Monday, October 19, 2026
Top Ponce entries advance to the county level: By November 20, 2026
Miami-Dade County awards celebration: January 30, 2027 (location TBA)
National winners announced: May 1, 2027
About the Theme
“What My Culture Means to Me” invites you to think about the people, places, traditions and values that have shaped your life, and to share those reflections through the arts.
Here’s the best part: culture is much bigger than heritage alone. It can be your family’s traditions or the language your grandparents speak, but it can also be your sports team, the food your family cooks on Sundays, the music you love, your neighborhood, or even the games you play every day. There’s no single right answer. The theme is about what culture means to you.
Stuck on where to start? Try asking yourself:
What traditions, people, places or memories help me understand who I am?
What is something about my culture that makes me feel proud?
How does my culture shape the way I see myself, my family or my community?
What do I wish others understood about my culture?
What story do I want my artwork to tell?
The Basics: Every Entry Must…
Be inspired by this year’s theme, “What My Culture Means to Me.”
Be brand-new artwork, created specifically for Reflections.
Be original work created by one student only.
Include an original title and an artist statement (more on this below!).
Come with a completed Florida PTA Student Entry Form, signed by the student and a parent/guardian (electronic signatures are OK).
Choose Your Arts Category
You can enter one or more of the six categories below. Ponce Explorers compete in the Middle School Division (grades 6–8).
Dance Choreography
You must be the choreographer. This is an original dance, not a performance of a trending TikTok dance!
You may perform it yourself, have one other person perform it, or not appear in the video at all.
Any background music must be cited on your entry form.
No graphics or lettering added over the video.
Video: up to 5 minutes and 1,000 MB. Formats: MP4, MOV or AVI.
Film Production
All screenwriting, directing and editing must be done by you, using your own original footage and material.
You don’t have to appear in your film, but if you do, a tripod is allowed.
Digital slide presentations are not accepted.
Describe any tools, apps or generative elements you used in the “additional details” section of the entry form.
Video: up to 5 minutes. Formats: MP4, MOV or AVI.
Literature
Poems, short stories, essays, personal reflections and more are all welcome.
Only the writing itself is judged.
Up to 2,000 words, submitted as a PDF.
Do not put your name anywhere on the piece, so judges can review it without bias.
Music Composition
Create a new, original piece of music, not a performance of an existing song.
You must perform your composition. You may also be joined by other performers or use a sound-library performance of your score, and software may be used to produce the recording.
Entries using algorithmic composition are not accepted.
Middle schoolers must also include music notation (traditional or tablature, handwritten or made with notation software) or a written reflective statement of 100 words or less, as a PDF.
Audio: up to 5 minutes.
Photography
Capture a meaningful object, gathering, meal, place, person or everyday moment that tells a bigger cultural story.
Editing software may enhance your photo, but it can’t create the main image or concept for you.
Prints: between 3×5 and 8×10 inches. Digital images: at least 640×960 pixels at 300 DPI.
Visual Arts
Accepted forms include drawing, painting, collage, photographic collage, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, digital art and graphics, design, architecture, carpentry, crafts, dioramas, fiber work, jewelry, kites, metal etching, mobiles, punch work, wind chimes and other 2D and 3D work.
Most entries are submitted digitally, so take a clear, well-lit photo of your artwork, and keep the original safe at home in case it advances!
A Quick Word About AI and Technology
Digital tools and software can be used to enhance or present your entry, but they can never provide the main design or concept. Example:
Typing “draw me a unicorn on a rainbow in space” into an AI tool? Not allowed. Drawing that unicorn yourself and then using a digital tool to enhance it? That’s fine. Just explain how you used it on your entry form.
Accessible Arts Division
Accessible Arts is an optional pathway for students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or Section 504. Families decide for themselves whether to enter this division, and no documentation is requested. Accommodations can be described in the “additional details” section of the entry form. At the school level, all Accessible Arts entries are judged together; at the county level and above, they are separated by grade so every student is reviewed fairly.
Your Artist Statement Matters, a Lot!
Every entry needs a title and an artist statement of 10 to 100 words. This is where you connect your artwork to the theme and tell the judges what it means to you. It counts for about 40% of your score, so give it real thought!
Parents, a tip: your Explorer’s statement should sound like them. Ask your child to tell you about their artwork and write down what they say, or record them talking and transcribe it. Judges can tell when a statement was written by a grown-up, and your child’s own voice is always the most powerful.
How Entries Are Judged
All entries are reviewed on three criteria: Interpretation of Theme, Creativity and Technical Skill. At each level a brand-new panel of judges reviews the work, so every round brings fresh eyes.
Here’s the journey your artwork can take:
1. Ponce PTSA: our judges select the top entries in each category.
2. Miami-Dade County Council of PTAs/PTSAs: finalists from schools across the county are reviewed.
3. Florida PTA: county finalists compete statewide and are celebrated at the Florida PTA convention.
4. National PTA: top state entries compete for national honors, announced May 1.
Awards include the Award of Excellence, First, Second and Third Place, and Honorable Mention. Please note: once an entry advances, it must stay in its original form. No edits are allowed between rounds.
How to Enter
1. Choose your category and create your original artwork.
2. Write your title and artist statement (10–100 words).
3. Complete the Florida PTA Student Entry Form with every field filled in, plus student and parent/guardian signatures. Missing information can delay or disqualify an entry as it advances.
4. Submit your entry and form by Monday, October 19, 2026
5. Keep your original artwork safe in case it advances to the next level!
Join the Ponce Reflections Chat for entry forms, submission instructions, and reminders.
Parent Registration Form & Student Entry Description
Google Forms Entry Link
Create. Celebrate. Share Your Story.
At Ponce, our diversity is our superpower, and Reflections is the perfect chance to show it. We can’t wait to see, hear and read what culture means to our Explorers!
Volunteers Wanted! We're looking for 5–6 volunteers to launch Ponce PTSA's very first Reflections Committee. The committee will help manage this year's program and continue leading it for years to come. You don't need to be an artist, just someone who loves seeing kids create!
Questions? Reach out through Ponce Reflections Chat
For more inspiration, visit the National PTA Reflections page at pta.org/reflections and the Reflections page on the Florida PTA website.
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