Last week, the Arlington County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) announced the 2023-24 Reflections contest winners at the county level. The students participating in the county level of the contest were the highest scoring entries in the category and age division of their school level contests.
Reflections is a nationwide multi-level contest and arts promotion program that encourages students to create works in dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts, based on a common theme. This year’s theme was “I Am Hopeful Because…”
All students from prekindergarten through 12th grade are eligible to enter. All participants listed in this announcement will be celebrated at an Arlington County Reflections Awards Ceremony at Washington-Liberty High School attended by members of the School Board on Mon, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. (snow date is Mon, March 11).
The top winner from each category and age division from this county level contest has been awarded “Outstanding Interpretation of the Theme” and goes on to compete in the Virginia State PTA contest. The program continues at the national level. For questions, please email April Maddox at reflections@arlingtonccpta.org.
Dance Choreography
Primary Division (Pre-K through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation: Benjamin Whiteman, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Excellence: Salma El Aachaouch, Montessori Public School of Arlington
Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: Ivy Weathers, Claremont Immersion
Award of Excellence: Kavya Reiten, Innovation Elementary
Award of Merit: Rose Allen, Cardinal Elementary; Amelia Rose Weir-Lange, Discovery Elementary; Betty Apolot, Arlington Traditional
Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Lila Voigt, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Excellence: Neena Robert, Swanson Middle
High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Grace Fettig, Yorktown High
Award of Excellence: Grace Gabriela Peralta and Dana Avila Rodriguez, Wakefield High
Film
Primary Division (Pre-K through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation: Robert Kaleta, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence: Sophie Roser, Arlington Traditional Award of Merit: Juliana Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary
Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: James Viator, Arlington Traditional
Award of Excellence: Blake Baird, Escuela Key
Award of Merit: Laen Strock, Montessori Public School of Arlington Johnathan Laver, Long Branch Elementary; Reagan Hayes, Cardinal Elementary; Edward Kaleta, Discovery Elementary
Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Mason Mirabile, Williamsburg Middle
Literature
Primary Division (Pre-K through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation: Charlotte Murphy, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Excellence: Nevin Walker, Montessori Public School of Arlington; Catherine Davis, Discovery Elementary
Award of Merit: Eleanor Shepherd, Claremont Immersion; Penelope Erwin, Long Branch Elementary; James Burd, Abingdon Elementary; Juliet Lockhart, Arlington Traditional
Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: Daphne Parra, Long Branch Elementary
Award of Excellence: Dahlia DiSoco, Escuela Key; Nora Schweer, Cardinal Elementary; Charlotte Bernick, Discovery Elementary
Award of Merit: Bronson McGurk, Alice West Fleet Elementary; Simon Shepherd, Claremont Immersion; Boran Yurt, Montessori Public School of Arlington; Jackson Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; Ellie Elouardighi, Innovation Elementary; Cecelia Wilson, Arlington Traditional
Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Tala Sacouman-Minsky, Williamsburg Middle
Award of Excellence: Isabella Choi, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Merit: Alexander Murphy, Swanson Middle
High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Grace Fettig, Yorktown High
Award of Excellence: Siobhan Jacobs, Washington-Liberty High
Award of Merit: Sarah Branham, Wakefield High
Music Composition
Primary Division (Pre-K through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation: Ayla Yekta, Zachary Taylor ElementaryAward of Excellence: Catherine Davis, Discovery Elementary
Award of Merit: Sayva Cole, Montessori Public School of Arlington; Juliana Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; James Frischknecht, Arlington Traditional
Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: Sloan Frischknecht, Arlington Traditional
Award of Excellence: Juliana Wyss, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Merit: Callie Curry, Montessori Public School of Arlington; Nora Muller-Tabanera, Innovation Elementary; Waylon Paul Sutter, Discovery Elementary
Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Owen Scriber, Swanson Middle
Award of Excellence: Sanjana Jadhav, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Merit: Jacob Nadherny, Gunston Middle
High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Wilbur Nardone, Washington-Liberty High
Photography
Primary Division (Pre-K through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation: Sunaina Desai-Seltzer, Montessori Public School of Arlington
Award of Excellence: Alexander Shepherd, Claremont Immersion; Ayla Yekta, Zachary Taylor Elementary
Award of Merit: Marie Hosier, Alice West Fleet Elementary; Margot Thompson, Discovery Elementary
Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: Emmylou Simkin, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence: Jackson Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; Caleb Saunders, Arlington Traditional; Penelope Rogier, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Merit: Aubrey Labady, Escuela Key; Marina David-Tombras, Montessori Public School of Arlington; Arhaan Sood, Innovation Elementary; Matias Olivera, Claremont Immersion
Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Egshiglen Ganbat, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Excellence: Jordan Kravetz, Gunston MiddleAward of Merit: Sami Wiriyotin, Thomas Jefferson Middle
High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Anya Jolly, Yorktown High
Award of Excellence: Malcolm Epstein, Wakefield High
Special Artists Division
(Grades Pre-K through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Lewis “LJ” Seiff, Swanson Middle
Visual Arts
Primary Division (Pre-K through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation: Eva Aldred, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence: Flora Sheldon, Escuela Key; Min Kim, Innovation Elementary; Amroune Wassim, Abingdon Elementary
Award of Merit: Aaliyah Clark, Alice West Fleet Elementary; Isabella Suarez, Montessori Public School of Arlington; Victoria Dunn, Long Branch Elementary; Ayla Yekta, Zachary Taylor Elementary; Juliana Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; Talia Prosser, Arlington Traditional; Quinnley Moss, Cardinal Elementary; Anya Atkins, Claremont Immersion
Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: Sloane Cowart, Montessori Public School of Arlington
Award of Excellence: Audra Wuellner, Alice West Fleet Elementary; Anthony Thomas, Cardinal Elementary; Adrianna Abbate, Arlington Traditional; Emilia Lopez, Claremont Immersion
Award of Merit: Siena Wilcox, Escuela Key; Daphne Parra, Long Branch Elementary; Evan Kan, Innovation Elementary; Jackson Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; Elena Abraham, Abingdon Elementary; Audrey Schaedig, Discovery Elementary;
Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Hiroha Matsutori, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Excellence: Alice Doern, Williamsburg Middle; Nandini Kirwin, Gunston Middle
Award of Merit: Sami Wiriyotin, Thomas Jefferson Middle; Kalinda Wiese, Swanson Middle
High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Diya Rudra Sundaram, Washington-Liberty High
Award of Excellence: Raziel Barrancos, Wakefield HighAward of Merit: Paul Gulick, Yorktown High
Special Artists Division (Grades Pre-K through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation: Nitya Gulia, Cardinal Elementary