Reflections 2025-01

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January 2025

Thank you for your participation in the 31st District PTA/PTSA Reflections Art Program 2025! 

This year there were 15 Units, Across All Councils participating in the program:  

Alfred B. Nobel Charter Middle School PTSA, Apperson Street Elementary PTA, Beckford Elementary PTA, Darby Avenue Charter Elementary, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Dearborn Street Elementary PTA, Granada Hills Charter TK-8 PTSA, Granada Hills Charter High School PTSA, Grover Cleveland High PTA, Haskell Avenue Elementary PTA, Lanai Road Elementary PTA, Lokrantz PTA, Lorne Street Elementary PTA, Mount Gleason Middle School PTSA, and Rio Vista Elementary PTA.

That is DOUBLE the amount of last year! Woo-hoo! Additionally, there were over three hundred submissions! That is astonishing. Apperson Elementary alone had nearly 80 submissions (Wow!)!!  I think JENA could teach a thing or two! 

No matter how many art pieces your unit submitted, I am thrilled your PTA participated. We all know art does wonderful things — 

  • “Art increases Self Expression and creativity”
  • “Art Increases Imagination and Provides a Healthy Outlet for its Participants.”
  • “Art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness.”
  • “Art helps to make Social Justice Visible and Documents its Movement.”
  • “Art forces humans to look beyond that which is necessary to survive and leads people to create for the sake of expression and meaning, intelligence having fun.”

I’m REALLY IMPRESSED with the art pieces that the students submitted to the 31st District PTA/PTSA 2025 Reflections Art Program. Thank goodness I only chair the program and do not have to judge the winners – I would have had an extremely hard time!  My accolades are echoed by many of the judges that participated this year! To quote one, “These artists are amazing!”  Speaking of judges, HATS OFF to all the amazing judges that donated their time to review and, in some cases, share insights and comments on the artwork. Please see the following pages of their bios and support their organizations and artwork if you can.

Results for the 31st District PTA /PTSA Reflections Art Program Honorees will be announced shortly and CAPTA awards will be announced at the end of February as they are due to National on March 1st.

Please mark your calendars for the 31st District PTA 2025 Reflections Art Program Showcase & Gala on March 15, 2025, at 11am. More information and a flyer coming soon! 

Once again, I appreciate your participation in the Reflections Art Program this year and look forward to seeing you on March 15th!

~Jennifer Nerad Sultan

Thank you to the wonderful professionals that donated countless hours to provide their expertise to review, comment upon and score the of the 31st District PTA/PTSA Reflections Art Program 2025

Jodi Shiling
Owner and Director, Relevé Studios
www.relevestudios.com
Instagram & FB: @relevestudios
1-818-654-4140

Carey Nerad
Director of Finance (Retired), Academy of Art University, San Francisco

Eric Morgan Stuart
Actor, Voice Over, Writer, Director, Producer, Teacher
CEO, The Quran TEENS Network

Florencia Perez Cardenal
Camera Operator

Jim Orr
Cinematographer and Director

Debbie Vandermeulen
Founder, Fusion Features

Robin Kellogg
Founder, Author, Writer
www.yourwritingresource.com

Lisa Hancok-Jasie
Writer

Carey Nerad
Director of Finance (Retired), Academy of Art University, San Francisco

Linda Ross
Teacher (Retired)
PTA Board of Directors

Kevin W. Walker
Composer | Musician
kevinwalkermusic.com
@kevinwalkermusic

Andreas Farmakalidis & Alexis Lopez
Owners, California MusicBox
www.camusicbox.com

Nick Norton
Music Editor | Composer | Producer
Bathysphere Music
nicknorton.space | IMDB.me/nicknorton
1-805-341-1029

Becky Pierce
Fine Artist | Sculptor | Illustrator
Chicago, IL

Angie Jones
Animation Director | Fine Artist

Aman Chaudhary
Artist – Concept Art & Illustration
Instagram | Facebook | Portfolio
@amancreates

Nina Giangreco
Graphic Designer | Artist