14 February 2013
REFLECTIONS: Poly’s artistic students are moving up in the PTA’s Reflections competition.
By Kira Roybal, Staff Writer
What do you think of when you hear the word “school”? Perhaps literature, grammar, math or science come to mind. The arts, such as painting or theatrics, do not usually pop up as obvious representations of a school. These subjects do not teach students about the Founding Fathers or the Pythagorean Theorem; rather, they are strict disciplines based on expression and creativity. Art is the work of inspired individuals.
To encourage students’ interest in the arts, the PTA holds an annual competition called Reflections in which the competitors begin at the district level and the best advance to the national level. This program has been encouraging students to explore the arts and express themselves since 1969. Its categories include dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts. The theme for the 2012-2013 competition is “The Magic of a Moment.” The winners of the highest national title, the Outstanding Interpretation Award, are given $800 and their art is displayed in an exhibit in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC.
Only a handful of Poly students participated in this year’s competition, including Israel Tucker (12), Jacqueline Thomas (9) and Emily Hughes (9); Tucker received the Honorable Mention Award, and both Thomas and Hughes received the Award of Excellence, which means that they will move on from the district level.
Thomas, who submitted a music composition, has been participating in Reflections since she was in kindergarten. “It’s kind of a tradition of mine,” she said. As a young girl, Thomas developed her love for the piano during visits to her grandmother’s house. She first took lessons from her grandmother out of curiosity; she became more serious and focused on honing her piano skills as her training continued, playing in numerous piano recitals with her grandmother’s other students.
Thomas has been playing the piano for 11 years. “It just wouldn’t matter to me if other people thought that I was good [at playing the piano]. Just knowing myself that I am good makes me work to be better,” she said.
Hughes has also been participating in Reflections since she was in kindergarten. This year, she submitted a photograph, though in past years she submitted pieces of art and music. Hughes became interested in photography when she joined Poly’s Photography Club this year. What was her award-winning photograph? Floating in a lake, Hughes took a picture of her friend staring straight into the camera as he jumped off of a boat while her other friends cheered in the background.
Hughes has also submitted photography to contests held by The National Geographic magazine and the newspaper Yorkshire; she has made it to the semi-finals in Yorkshire’s competition and now anxiously waits for a response. “I like having recognition for my pictures. I feel good about them and it’s a good thing to put on college applications,” she said.
Tucker, a special education student, submitted a music composition inspired by his favorite musician, classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Though he had the opportunity, like other students with disabilities, to present his art in the Special Artist Division, Tucker placed his composition in the High School Division. “I wanted to make my mom happy and show how much I like music,” he said.
Tucker discovered his musical abilities at the age of 12 when he saw a video of someone playing Beethoven on the piano; from then on, he was inspired to tame his fingers on the piano keys. Tucker’s dedication has given him the opportunity to present his piano skills at talent shows and country clubs in Riverside. “My goal is music,” he said.
Creating art is an individual process. Jacqueline Thomas explained that the inspiration for her compositions can appear from out of the blue. Sometimes she hums random melodies until she finds the best notes; on other occasions, she utilizes melodies from contemporary songs. “My style is classical with a little bit of jazzy feel and sometimes contemporary,” Thomas said. She hopes to someday use her passion for composing music to brighten the lives of seniors in retirement homes.
Emily Hughes most commonly captures night-shot photographs; she uses light-writing to make her pictures glow or long exposure to create a contrast between movement and stability. Creating the perfect picture can often be a long process that takes several dozen shots to achieve satisfaction. Patience and perseverance are key. “My family is really supportive of me, and I love that,” Hughes said.
The goal of the PTA’s Reflections contest is to give students a chance to create an original piece of work and be recognized for their artistic talents. Despite the program’s long history, many students are still in the dark about this opportunity. “No one knows about it,” Thomas said. Art does not need to be an esoteric and secretive pursuit. Perhaps it is time for students to embrace art, and for art to embrace students.