From excitement to anticipation, students wore a wide range of emotions on their faces as they gathered on the stage at the Hollenstein Career and Technology Center, waiting to be recognized in front of a standing-room-only crowd of their parents, principals and teachers. 

 

The annual PTA Reflections Art Program awards honored Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD elementary students from kindergarten through fifth grade in categories including dance choreography, literature, film production, visual arts, musical competition and photography. 

 

For parents like Appa Burcie, whose son Gentry is a student at Lake Pointe Elementary School, the award came as a surprise. 

 

“Gentry is only in kindergarten. So, I was shocked when I found out he won the award of excellence for primary photography! We’re excited,” she said as Gentry tugged at her shirt, shyly asking her to come sit with him on stage. 

 

For other parents, like the Pawar’s at Northbrook Elementary School, their children have participated in this contest for years, but they still beam with pride every year they have a student recognized. 

 

“It’s encouragement for the students to keep improving,” said Nick Pawar, whose daughter Kendra received an award of merit for intermediate visual arts. “I give my hat off to their teachers and the PTA for this.” 

 

The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Council of PTAs sponsors the contest, as part of the National PTA Reflections contest, with a theme this year of “Show Your Voice.” 

 

“What makes this event great is that it’s a gathering of every elementary student from across EMS ISD who completed a Reflections project,” said Meg Farley, an elementary PACE teacher who is also on the board of the Council of PTAs. “It is very special when you see the pure joy on the students faces when they receive their trophies.” 

 

The students receiving an award of excellence in each category now advance to the state competition. Winners there compete nationally. 

 

“It creates an excitement among students about certain types of art that they may not necessarily be aware of, especially at the elementary level,” Farley said. “This allows the students to create in different ways.” 

 

The contest also aligns with goals in the EMS ISD strategic plan ASPIRE 2025 to provide personalized opportunities including student and family engagement. 

 

“This is not something that I expected my son to take an interest in, but I’m so happy that he was introduced to it,” said Henriette Tchuente, whose son Raphael is in fifth grade at Elkins Elementary School and received honorable mention for intermediate visual arts. “I’m just really proud of him.” 

 

Congratulations to all the students recognized in the 2022-2023 EMS ISD Council of PTAs Reflections art winners. 

 

2022-2023 EMS ISD Council of PTAs Reflections Art Contest Winners

Primary Dance Choreography 

Award of Merit:

• Reese Wootton - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
• Jennifer Loga - Elkins Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Mallin Dye - Lake Pointe Elementary School

Intermediate Dance Choreography 

Award of Merit:

• Lucy DeCorte - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
• Kynley Cole - Dozier Elementry School

Award of Excellence:

• Sadie Lyon-Hust - Gililland Elementary School

Primary Literature 

Award of Excellence:

• Sienna Duarte - Dozier Elementary School

Intermediate Literature 

Honorable Mention:

• Carsyn Skaggs - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
• Chipper Williams - High Country Elementary School

Award of Merit:

• MacKynzie Perry - Remington Point Elementary School
• Madelyn Birdwell - Dozier Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Iva Hanft - Elkins Elementary School

Primary Film Production 

Award of Excellence:

• Lennox Mueller - Eagle Mountain Elementary School

Intermediate Film Production 

Honorable Mention:

• Mason Borja - Bryson Elementary School
• Ava Durbin - Lake Pointe Elementary School

Award of Merit:

• Morgan Allen - Copper Creek Elementary School
• Jackson Wootton - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
• Iva Hanft - Elkins Elementary School
• Tristan Martin - High Country Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

Nathan Lamkin - Dozier Elementary School

Primary Visual Arts 

Honorable Mention:

• Tyleigh Flores- Lake Country Elementary School
• Kasey Marroquin - Gililland Elementary School
• Waverly Youngblood - Copper Creek Elementary School
• Abisa Regmi - Copper Creek Elementary School
• Olivia Nation - Remington Point Elementary School

Award of Merit:

• Rowan Randles - Greenfield Elementary School
• Keaton Palmer - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
• Josephine Allen - Comanche Springs Elementary School
• Catherine Norwine - Lake Pointe Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Emma Martin - High Country Elementary School

Intermediate Visual Arts 

Honorable Mention:

• Carson Panya - Copper Creek Elementary School
• Isabelle Winter - Willow Creek Elementary School
• Logan Norwine - Lake Pointe Elementary School
• Onal Saputhanthri - Chisholm Ridge Elementary School
• Raphael Tchuente - Elkins Elementary School
• Elizabeth Dumoulin - Copper Creek Elementary School
• Lilly Pope - Comanche Springs Elementary School
• Tamara Ogato - Comanche Springs Elementary School
• Ford Hill - Comanche Springs Elementary School
• Sebastian Casillo - Greenfield Elementary School
• Victor Villareal - Dozier Elementary School

Award of Merit:

• Lucas Grams - Dozier Elementary School
• Hudson Zimmerer - Lake Country Elementary School
• Natalie Willette - High Country Elementary School
• Kendra Pawar - Northbrook Elementary School
•  Sawyer Farley - Comanche Springs Elementary School
•  Austin Slattery - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
•  Axel Mendez-Gavilanes - Gililland elementary School
•  Madelynn Nation - Remington Point Elementary School
•  Lachlan Smith - Eagle Mountain Elementary School
•  Jaxon Law - Comanche Springs Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Sukhmani Bilkhu - Northbrook Elementary School

Primary Musical Composition 

Award of Merit:

• Lennox Mueller - Eagle Mountain Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Jacob Grams - Dozier Elementary School 

Intermediate Musical Composition 

Award of Excellence:

• Kamila Michel - Eagle Mountain Elementary School

Primary Photography 

Honorable Mention:

• Emberlynne Perry - Remington Point Elementary School
• Lennox Mueller—Eagle Mountain Elementary School

Award of Merit:

• Jacob Grams - Dozier Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Gentry Burcie - Lake Pointe Elementary School

Intermediate Photography 

Honorable Mention:

• Keyla Asanze - High Country Elementary School
• Caroline Domke - Eagle Mountain Elementary School

Award of Merit:

• Lucas Grams - Dozier Elementary School
• Anabel Romo - Gililland Elementary School

Award of Excellence:

• Emerson Smith - Lake Country Elementary School