What is Reflections?
Reflections is a PTA contest for the arts. Each year, students in preschool through grade 12 are invited to create and submit works of art in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts. Select winners at the National PTA level win scholarship grants.
The Winners
Theme: Accepting Imperfection
Award of Excellence winners will move to the next level of judging at the Cupertino-Fremont-Sunnyvale Council PTA level.
Film Production
Award of Excellence – Climbing Mt. Snowy Top by Evelyn Tom
“In “Climbing Mt. Snowy Top”, Micro Mila believes she’s at a disadvantage in climbing the mountain due to her size. When Micro Mila reaches the top, she finds other tiny Squishmallows have achieved the climb. What she thought was a disadvantage was a typical trait that other Squishmallows possessed and that trait did not hinder anyone from succeeding. We often focus on our disadvantages when facing challenges and fail to see that most people are neither better nor worse off than ourselves. It’s a reminder that “average” is enough and that there is no imperfection to accept.”
Award of Merit – Imperfections – My Heroes by Utkarsh Mahajan
“My film showcases the beauty of imperfections through personal experience as a teenager navigating the perfection-obsessed world. Inspired by the Japanese Wabi-Sabi philosophy, which celebrates imperfections rather than hiding them, the film depicts Kintsugi art, where broken pottery is repaired with gold that highlights its cracks. The resilience stories of Simone Biles and Malala Yousafzai further prove how resilience shines through our life’s imperfections if we accept and embrace them. Through art, science and role-models, my film shows imperfections in a new light, proving that true courage lies in the acceptance of our authentic selves and unique life experiences.”
Literature
Award of Excellence – Perfectly Imperfect by Aditri Gupta
“This poem is inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which explores the transformative idea of finding beauty in imperfection. Kintsugi shows that imperfection is not to be hidden, but rather embraced and appreciated. Society creates an image of Perfection, who as its name suggests, is a personification of unachievable expectations. However, being imperfect is not something that diminishes our value or place in society, rather it adds depth, character, and uniqueness to who we are. It is a reminder that in a world obsessed with perfection, it is important to acknowledge, honor, and embrace our vulnerabilities..”
Award of Merit – Scar Spangled Banner by Aashvi Gupta
“In my story, students enter a school after a recent school shooting, and one such student describes that specific day she re-enters the classroom where it occurred. In America, it is impossible not to have heard about the horrifying school shootings that kill children and adults alike. However, we have yet to change anything about this law, the 2nd Amendment. Students, when entering their schools, sit in their classes, knowing that one day, they could end up murdered by a shooter. This, in a form, is how students accept the imperfection of their country’s gun laws.”
Music Composition
Award of Excellence – Dream Sonata by Likun Yang
“This is the first sonata for string orchestra I’ve written in my life, and it’s not perfect in itself. The piece is called “Dream Sonata.” Many people think that dreams are an ideal place, something to long for, but dreams aren’t perfect either. After the dream, we return to an imperfect reality, which we must also accept.”
Visual Arts
Award of Excellence – Lost but Found by Yuri Seo
“I illustrated the theme of accepting imperfections by drawing a stray cat cradled in my mom’s hands. Instead of being safe with its mother, the stray cat was left motherless and alone in an imperfect environment of the streets. Despite the cat’s imperfect background, our family embraced the motherless cat and cared for it with love. This represents that even if you have imperfections, people will still love you.”
Award of Merit – Kintsugi by Alexander Liu
“This piece is a reflection of my understanding of my flaws in low times. College applications had sharply brought into light my imperfections, my laziness, my carelessness, over the past four years, and I felt shattered, aimless. But every day, I look in the mirror, and remind myself that it’s ok to be imperfect if I keep on working. The piece depicts a woman putting herself back together through a process called “kintsugi,” a Japanese tradition of putting a cup together using gold, celebrating imperfections and healing. The linework is left purposefully raw, to elevate the emotional effect.
Honorable Mention – Porcelain Mind by Kai Yang
“As a Queer Chinese American, I often struggle to meet my parents’ expectations of the perfect porcelain daughter, leaving me feeling broken and alone. Porcelain Mind is an abstract representation of my inner conflict, depicting black and red tendrils flowing from a shattered porcelain head. The white roses symbolize new beginnings and eternal love, reminding me to find pride in my queer identity. The gold-lined shards are inspired by Japanese Kintsugi, reflecting my hope to reconcile my divided identity and grow from hardship and imperfection. My painting both embodies the struggle of queer students and celebrates Queer Asian intersectionality.”
Honorable Mention – Nature’s Imperfections by Akhil Yarlagadda
“I chose to paint a photo that I took in Oregon, where I admired the beauty of a hilly landscape around me. I realized that the beauty was made up of thousands of imperfections that worked together to create one vast countryside, composed of small deformities collaborating to become a remarkable scenery. To incorporate these imperfections into my painting, I tried new art techniques to help create a pretty painting from afar with tiny imperfections up close. Through this painting, I tried to shine a light on the imperfections nature has through all of its beauty and peace.”