By Audrey Piekut-Thaiss, Reflections Chair, East Cobb County Council of PTA’s
Photography of animals “Friends”: Alex Craig, Grade 6, Dodgen Middle School
National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education and its Reflections program, provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life. Over 300,000 students yearly in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+ year-old program helps students explore their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence, and find a love for learning that helps them become more successful in school and beyond.
The East Cobb County Council PTA’s (ECCC PTA) Reflections program boasted an extremely high level of participation for our 2023-2024 event. Over four-hundred entries from East Cobb elementary, middle, and high school students were reviewed by our judges in the categories of literature, film production, photography, visual arts, dance choreography and music composition. Each entry showcased the student’s artistic and creative skills as they reflected on this year’s theme: “I am Hopeful Because…” After judging was completed, the ECCC PTA was proud to announce that we are advancing over one-hundred and fifty qualifying entries to the Georgia PTA Reflections program! These student winners represent twenty-one local schools, include all grade levels, all categories, plus the special artists division, in an impressive collection which we are proud to have represent our Council at the State level program.
Black and White: Eric Glidewell, Grade 11,
Thank you to all our participants, their families, their schools, and their local unit PTA’s who have supported this valuable program. Congratulations to our ECCC PTA Reflections winners and best of luck to them at the next round of judging!
For information and updates on the ECCC PTA Reflections program, please visit www.ecccpta.org/ events/reflections.
Audrey Piekut-Thaiss has led the Reflections program for East Cobb County Council PTA for the past three years. In addition, she spent seven years leading her local elementary school’s reflections program. She is the mother of three Cobb County students and works as a Cobb County substitute teacher.
