Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Deb Delisle and National PTA President Betsy Landers will keynote the opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of an art exhibit by Outstanding Interpretation and Award of Excellence winners of the 2011-12 National PTA’s Reflections Program at 11 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Jan. 29 in the Education Department’s auditorium at 400 Maryland Ave. S.W. They will be joined by Chief Executive Officer of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Jonathan Katz and National PTA Reflections Committee Chair Cindy Dearing.
The ceremony will also feature performances by two Outstanding Interpretation winners: Polly Moser, for music composition in the Middle School Division from Burleigh Manor Middle School PTA in Ellicott City, Md., and Racquel Charles, for dance choreography in the High School Division from Sequoyah High School PTSA in Canton, Ga.
Since its inception more than 40 years ago, the National PTA’s Reflections Program has encouraged millions of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to reflect on a specific theme and create original artwork. Students are recognized for their interpretation of the theme through dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts.
The exhibit, which features some 70 works by students from 38 states in preschool through grade 12 in all of the art forms represented in the competition, will be on display at the department until Feb. 24.