Reed Intermediate School’s Reflections Committee has announced the school’s Reflections Awards winners. Reflections is a program run by the National PTA that provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts, improving student confidence and success in life.

According to the National PTA’s website, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through twelfth grade create original works of art in response to a student-created theme. This year, the theme was, “I am Hopeful Because ...” Reed winners could place in either two age divisions, Intermediate for third to fifth grade or Middle for sixth to eighth grade.

In the Dance Choreography category, the Intermediate division first place winner was Quinn Sullivan with “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff.” For the Visual Arts category, the Middle division first place winner was Christina Matiatos with “No Social Media.”

Sullivan was also the first place winner in the Intermediate division of the Photography category with “The Pier By The Shore.” The Middle division first place winner was Emmalynn Raslan with “Forest.”

For the Literature category, the Intermediate division first place winner was Vivienne Stupka with “Two Simple Haiku.” The second place winner was Sullivan with “A Bird’s Picnic.” The Middle division first place winner was Matiatos with “The Dream I Had Last Night.”

In the Film Production category, the Middle division first place winner was Raslan with “Artistry.”

All of the entries were judged on Artistic Merit/Creativity (10 points), Mastery of the Medium (10 points) and Interpretation of the Theme (20 points). Mastery of the Medium refers to the level of skill the student demonstrates in the basic principles and techniques of the arts area. However, a well-developed concept is more important than technique. Entries were judged primarily on how well the student uses their artistic vision to portray the theme.

Several Newtown students also won awards at the Connecticut PTA Reflections Awards Ceremony. At the state level, Raslan placed third for Film Production in the Middle School Division, while Sullivan placed first for Dance and third for Photography in the Intermediate Division.

Other Newtown residents who placed at the state level include Middle Gate School student Willow Womack, who placed second for Film Production in the Intermediate Division, Newtown High School student Rachel Calorossi, who placed fourth for Photography in the High School Division, and MGS student Giovanna Ribeiro, who placed third for Musical Composition in the Intermediate Division.

For more information on the National PTA Reflections Awards, visit pta.org/home/programs/reflections.