“It’s a way to get the recognition of the arts in schools,”  Abbey Trescott, sponsor of PTA reflections said. “Part of the reason for creating it is to support the arts and to get them into the schools and communities.”

While few RBHS students have entered into this year’s competition yet, there are some who plan to compete as in years past.

“We typically have more visual arts and photography, as well as music than the [other catagories],” Tresscott said. “I’m not sure if that’s just a matter getting the word out there, or if it is easier for those teachers to advertise those awards to those students, or because we don’t have a dance choreography or films classes, which makes it hard to reach all those students.”

Every year .a committee chooses a theme through a process of submissions. In years past there have been themes such as, “wow,” which students must interpret and then write, compose or choreograph to; just three of the six possible categories. This year, the theme is “Believe, Dream, Inspire.”

 “I feel like the competition stresses the creativity that isn’t usually stressed in the classroom,” sophomore Alice Yu said. “You have to get out of the box; you have to think of something that hasn’t been done before and gets someone’s attention.”

Yu said she plans to tackle the topic and anticipates entering in the musical composition category and play the piano.

“Ever since elementary school I have been entering, so it’s just kind of nature to me now,” Yu said. “It has become a family activity.”

Even though this may be her first year entering as an RBHS student, it isn’t the first time her family has a Bruin in the competition. Her sister, 2013 alumna Daphne Yu, enjoyed success with the competition.

“It was something they called an ‘Award of Excellence’ which is given to the top three artists in the nation who interpreted the theme in each age group,” said the elder Yu, whose musical composition was a National Award of Excellence winner in 2013 and an Award of Merit in 2012. “It was an awesome feeling to get recognition for something I did and created, especially with something like music.”

Trescott said the PTA reflections hopes RBHS students will see continued success, and her goal is to have more entries this year than ever before.

“It’s my first year, so I hope things go well,” Trescott said. “I hope to get submissions in all of the categories.”

By Ross Parks

So, will you be entering into the competition?