More than 80 Downers Grove Grade School District 58 students were honored during the PTA Reflections ceremony Tuesday Dec. 5 at O’Neill Middle School. The students submitted 89 works of art for the Downers Grove Area Council of PTA Reflections, 39 of which will advance to the regional level for further adjudication.
Before the ceremony, students, parents and other guests perused the art, which included literature, music composition, visual arts, film production, photography and dance choreography. Winners were announced by school and given ribbons and those who were advancing to the next level were given certificates. View a photo gallery from the ceremony.
Reflections is a national PTA arts recognition and achievement program for students. According to the National PTA Reflections website: “Creating art is a valuable learning process that challenges students to use their critical thinking skills as well as their creative talents to create art that supports a specific theme.”
The theme for the 2023-24 program is "I Am Hopeful Because!." The Illinois PTA will announce the Regional PTA Reflections award recipients in January. Chairing the Downers Grove Council of PTAs are Johanna Lewandowski and Jacque Morgan.
District 58 students recognized are the following. Students who will advance to regionals are marked with an asterisk:
Belle Aire
- Clara G., visual arts
- Dahlia H., visual arts
- *Cora M., music composition
- Maggie M., visual arts
- Mae S., visual arts
- Lucy S, visual arts
El Sierra
- *Florence B (with the assistance of Riley M & Haley M.) music composition
- Lydia C., visual arts
- Viraj G., visual arts
- Anna K., visual arts
- Amelia K, visual arts
- Addison L., visual arts
- *Harper L., dance choreography
- Harper L., visual arts
Fairmount
- *Brooklyn A. with assistance of Edith Z., Katherine S., and Danielle C., music composition
- *Jessica F., literature
- Kate H., visual arts
- Elizabeth L., visual arts
- Willow D., visual arts
- *Dell H., visual arts
- Kirana J., visual arts
- Ava S., visual arts
- Hannah W., visual arts
Kingsley
- Dash B., photography
- *Drew C., photography
- *Sean C., photography
- Vivian G., visual arts
- Lily H., visual arts
- Jack S., visual arts
Lester
- Genevieve M., photography
- *George O., music composition
- *Lydia O., photography
- *Mitchell O., literature
O’Neill
- *Tanishi G., visual arts
- Piper C., visual arts
- Parker C., visual arts
- Meredith H., visual arts
- *Joshua M., film production
- *Anneliese M., film production
- *Conor M., photography
- Conor M., photography
- Dylan M., visual arts
Herrick
- *Leah A., photography
- *Asha G., music composition
- Ellie K., photography
- *Sadie S., visual arts,
- *Zachary Y., dance choreography
Henry Puffer
- *Lissette A., visual arts
- *Archer B., photography
- Oliver F., visual arts
- Piper F., visual arts
- Helen H., visual arts
- Aydrian S., visual arts
Highland
- Max B., visual arts
- Logan M., photography
- *Sydney M., dance choreography
- *Ava R., visual arts
- Garion S., visual arts
- Kendra W., visual arts
Hillcrest
- Winry A., visual arts
- *Tommy D., literature
- *Greta H., literature
- *Nora J., film production
- Abigail K., visual arts
- Jules N., photography
- Owen N., visual arts
- *Joseph S., photography
- Emily W., visual arts
- *Alexis W., literature
- Carter W., literature
- Max W., visual arts
- Steve W., visual arts
Indian Trail
- Willow D., visual arts
- *Dell H., visual arts
- Kirana J., visual arts
- Ava S., visual arts
- Hannah W., visual arts
Kingsley
- Dash B. photography
- *Drew C., photography
- *Sean C., photography
- Vivian G., visual arts
- Lily H., visual arts
- Jack S., visual arts
Lester
- Genevieve M., photography
- *George O., music composition
- *Lydia O., photography
- *Mitchell O., literature
O’Neill
- *Tanishi G., visual arts
Pierce Downer
- Piper C., visual arts
- Parker C., visual arts
- Meredith H., visual arts
- *Joshua M., film production
- *Anneliese M., film production
- *Conor M., photography
- Conor M., photography
- Dylan M., visual arts
- *Michael M., photography
- *Olivia R., literature
- *Lucy R., music composition
- *Julia R., literature
Whittier
- Caroline A., photography
- Caroline A., visual arts
- Caroline A., visual arts
- Caroline A., visual arts
- *Olivia A., visual arts
- *Rachel A., visual arts
- *Clare H., dance choreography
- *Elsie O., dance choreography
- *James O., photography
- *Sadie P., literature
- *Reese P., visual arts
- William W., visual arts
In addition, the ceremony recognized Makayla C., a student from the DeLay-Lace PTA in District 61, and Emily S. from the Eisenhower PTA, which falls under the Downers Grove PTA Council. Both Makayla and Emily will move forward in the Visual Arts category.