Skip to main content

Sandy Journal

Two Sandy Students Win National Reflections

Jun 26, 2015 11:02AM ● By Julie Slama

Peruvian Park fourth grader Abigail Slama-Catron is all smiles after receiving awards for winning the state and national literature PTA Reflections contest. Photo courtesy of Scott Catron

Brookwood Elementary second grader Aubri Altman may have been showcasing what she can achieve when she submitted a film for the Parent-Teacher-Association Reflections program and achieved national acclaim.

“I either want to be a director, like my dad, or a dancer,” she said. “Either way, I like them both.”

Aubri, along with Peruvian Park fourth grader Abigail Slama-Catron, won each level of the Reflections contest, starting with their school level to being named state winners in March. Their work advanced to nationals and it was announced that they were Award of Excellence winners at the national level on May 2 at a ceremony at The Leonardo. Abigail won in literature.

Neither girl knew they had won state or national awards before the ceremony, where they were presented wooden plaques for their state win and a rosette ribbon with a promise of a medallion and $200 for their national awards. Their work will be displayed at The Leonardo’s exhibit “SPARK!” through this summer, as well as exhibited nationally at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. beginning in 2016.

“My mom kept it a secret and then told me afterward that she knew I was going to win,” Aubri said.

Aubri’s film, “Love Each Other,” shows her holding each letter with the title, then at the end, the speed of each letter increases. It is set to instrumental music. 

She said it fits the theme, “The World Can Be a Better Place If.” 

“If we all loved each other, there would be no more murders or shooting each other,” she said.

Brookwood second grader Aubri Altman won the state and national film production titles in the PTA Reflections Awards program. Photo courtesy of Scott Catron

Abigail wrote a poem titled, “I Don’t Need A Name” to fit the theme, outlining some of the service projects she has done for the community, such as making fleece blankets for homeless pets, creating get well cards for senior citizens, planting trees for veterans and helping put up American flags for the 9/11 Healing Field. Her poem also was published this spring in a Creative Communication publication.

“It doesn’t matter who I am, but how I can help out and that was the point of the poem,” Abigail said. “I wanted to show that everyone can help. It doesn’t have to be a huge service project. It can just be shoveling your neighbors’ driveways of snow just to show you care, and that can brighten their day.”

Abigail, who has been a state Award of Merit winner in literature and Award of Excellence winner in theater, likes to write and often jots stories down in a spiral notebook. She also attends a writing camp in the summer because “it’s so much fun.”

The National PTA Reflections awards has celebrated more than 45 years of student achievement in the arts, including dance, film, literature, music, photography, three-dimensional art and visual art. 

Utah PTA has sponsored the Reflections program for more than 40 years.

This year’s state Award of Excellence winners from Sandy also includes Sprucewood Elementary’s Mikayla Maughan in dance.

State Award of Merit winners include Indian Hills Middle’s Hannah Duncan in dance, Peruvian Park’s Brian Wei in literature, Sprucewood’s Aspen Dixon in literature, Alta High’s Emma Smith in literature, Butler Middle’s Malia Collins in literature, Silver Mesa’s JulieLynn Reardon in literature, Willow Canyon’s Zoey Slaugher in music, Brookwood’s Madelyn Boyack in music and Park Lane’s Jane Trounce in visual art.