More than 400 students in Highline Public Schools PTAs created art for this year's Reflections Arts Program and shared their interpretation of what the theme "Wow!" meant to them. Reflections is a National PTA program that encourages students in grades K-12 to create art in any of the six categories of literature, visual arts, photography, music, film/video, and dance.

Highline Council PTSA honored 53 students at their annual Refelections Celebration held at the Highline Performing Arts Center in January. Students received medals for Award of Excellence, with one student in the age level and arts category receiving the Outstanding Interpretation award for the best representation of the theme. It was an evening full of student recognition, performances, and applause.

The students receiving Outstanding Interpretation, as well as some of those receiving Award of Excellence, were sent on to Washington State PTA Reflections for additional judging and consideration for awards at the state level.

Thank you to all of the students who shared their art with the community through Reflections this year and to the volunteers who make this program happen for students. The public can view much of the students' work on display in the lobby of the Highline district office (ERAC) through February 27. Be sure to encourage students you know to participate in next year's program in their PTAs and create art based on the 2009-10 theme, "Beauty is..."

Art Captions: Tyler's photo, Friend or Foe, received Outstanding Interpretation in intermediate photography and Ellen's watercolor, Fireworks, received Outstanding Interpretation in senior visual arts.

Contributed by HCPTSA Reflections Coordinator Debbie Thoma