- Visit the PTA Reflections website
- Visit the California PTA Reflections information page
- Contact Friends of Palms
- Students can also talk to their counselor.
Reflections Art Contest
See our gallery of previous Palms artists!
Each year the Reflections Program has a theme:
- 2022-2023 theme: Show Your Voice!
- 2021-2022 theme: I Will Change the World By...
- 2020-2021 theme: I Matter Because...
- 2019-2020 theme: Look Within
- 2018-2019 theme: Heroes Around Me
- 2017-2018 theme: Within Reach
- 2016-2017 theme: What is Your Story?
- 2015-2016 theme: Let Your Imagination Fly
- 2014-2015 theme: The world would be a better place if...
- 2013-2014 theme: Believe, Dream, Inspire
- 2012-2013 theme: The Magic of a Moment
- 2011-2012 theme: Diversity Means...
- 2010-2011 theme: Together We Can
- 2009-2010 theme: Beauty Is...
Through the Palms Middle School PTSA, various faculty members are guiding our students through an opportunity to create and share their interpretation of the program theme from nature, portraiture, abstraction, and dreams, all expressed through the students' favorite means of expression, such as drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, photography, dance, music, writing, or film production.
The Reflections Art Show, an exhibition of contest entries by Palms students, is held in the Spring semester in the Library, along with a luncheon on the Palms patio for all student who entered the contest.
Boxes for submissions are in the Main and Magnet Offices.
PTSA Reflections Flyer can be downloaded here. See below for additional forms you can download.
2022-2023 Reflections chair: Cara Pohle
Reflections Art Contest Dates 2022
Kick-off: early November
Palms submission deadline: early December
District deadline: December
| Question | Answer |
| Who can participate? | All Palms students are eligible! |
| What does this year's theme mean? | It is up to each entrant to decide what it means to them. |
| What can I submit? | See the Types of Entries section below. |
| How many entries can I submit? | You can submit as many contest entries as you like, in as many categories as you like. |
| When is the deadline? | The deadline for submissions is usually in late November or early December. |
| Are there any prizes? | All participants will receive a Certificate, ribbon, a chance to win raffle prizes, and will all be included in the Reflections Art Show in Spring. Outstanding submissions will represent Palms at the district PTA Exhibit in downtown Los Angeles. Top entries from the district will compete at the state level! |
| How do I enter? | Use the entry and consent forms above. Turn in your entries at the Magnet Office. |
Entries may be in any of the following six categories. All entries must be related to the Reflections Program theme.
| Type of entry | Instructions |
| Literature | Must be a single original work of fiction or nonfiction. Prose, poetry, and drama are all accepted. The entry must not exceed 2,000 words. Entries may be hand written or typed, and may be illustrated, though only literary content is judged. |
| Dance choreography | Must be an original choreographed work of one student recorded on a CD or DVD. It is suggested that the required artist statement be given at the beginning of the recording, in addition to being written on the Student Entry Form. There may be up to three dancers performing the choreography. |
| Film production | Must be an original work of fiction or nonfiction. Entries may be with or without sound. The student must be the director, screenwriter, and cameraperson. If using a computer, the student must do all the work. If the student chooses to appear in the production, a camera on a tripod may be used. |
| Musical composition | Must be an original piece using voice, instruments, or a combination of voice and instruments. Lyrics may or may not be included in vocal compositions. The composition is not to exceed five minutes. The use of composition software is permitted, but use of highly edited MIDI sequences or audio files is strongly discouraged. No musical notation is required. |
| Photography | Must be an original black-and-white or color image, or group of images, produced by a photographic process. The entry may incorporate such techniques as montage, multiple exposure, negative sandwiches, and photograms. Images may be manipulated conventionally or digitally. Added graphics over the image, including lettering, are not acceptable and the work may not exceed 11 inches by 14 inches, including a mat. |
| Special Artist | Students with physical, cognitive, or mental health challenges may submit artwork in the grade division most closely aligned with their abilities, or may submit entries in this category, where they can receive non-artistic accommodation and adult assistance. |
| Visual arts | Must be an original print, drawing, painting, photographic or other collage, metal etching or punch work, fiber work, or computer-generated artwork. Entries may not be more than 3/8 inch thick. This includes use of all two-dimensional materials such as string, fabric, and screening. Entries may exceed 24 inches by 30 inches, including a mat, and nothing three-dimensional (noodles, beans, beads, boxes, etc.) may extend off the surface. |
Contest forms (from 2016):
Rules for contest categories:
