Kids get creative at Brookside Elementary

LEAH WINCK/Special to The Acorn SHINING REFLECTION- Brookside Elementary students display awards they received for winning photos as part of the annual PTA Reflections art contest. From left, Orr Weisberg, 10; Olivia Winck, 6; Jenna Caputa, 9; and Ben Winck, 9. Ben Winck recently took a black-and-white photograph of three sailboats bobbing up and down in the ocean near Santa Monica Pier, one of his favorite places.

A fourthgrader at Brookside Elementary School in Oak Park, Ben submitted the photograph to a PTAsponsored art contest and won first place. His work will now move on to the district level of competition.

Ben is one of 30 students from Brookside who participated in the annual Reflections school contest. Participants create art based on a theme that changes each year. This year's theme was "My Favorite Place." Categories included photography, literature, visual arts, video production, dance choreography and music composition.

"I just thought about what I like to do a lot," Ben said. "It's so fun on a nice day to be on the beach looking at the ocean. And I love going boating."

Ben also won an honorable mention for a photo he took of a pile of books on his bed.

A national program, Reflections was established in 1969 by the Colorado PTA president to encourage students to explore their creative talents. Various levels of competition take participants from the local schools to state and national competitions.

At Brookside, students' work was reviewed by independent judges not affiliated with the school, including a professional photographer, an art school owner and a writer. The winners were presented certificates and medals at a ceremony at Brookside in December with the students' artwork displayed gallery-style.

"Reflections provides opportunities for students to express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for original works of art," said Brookside principal Debra Burgher.

In addition to Ben, about 15 other Brookside students received awards and will move on to the district competition.

Program participants include Orr Weisberg; Olivia Winck; Jenna Caputo; Aliana, Julia and Marlena De Castro; Davis Gortner; Laura Woo; Lindsey Marks; Michael Glassman; Yael Karoly; Ben Rosen; Sasha Cox; Sarah Glassman; Bailey and Brandon Ucker; and Lauren Perlmutter.

Also, Abhinav Kumar, Sarah Curtis, Erica Leser, Landon and Hannah Adler, Christopher and Tessa Lim, Lily Apar, Madison and Justin Axelrode, Bianca Becerra, Jack and Luke Wulf, Kate Murray, Neev Levy, Ashley Cruz, Arianna Keynejad and Roman Colao.

"This is a wonderful program because it promotes art and increases community awareness of the importance of art in school," said Leah Winck, chair of this year's Brookside Reflections program.