Forty-seven Suffolk students have been recognized as the best of the best in the Suffolk PTA Reflections contest.

The Suffolk PTA Reflections Contest is an annual contest in which students from each grade level create art based on a particular theme. This year’s theme was “Together we can…”

“It’s an honor because it was a citywide competition, and to be recognized from among their peers is very good,” said Willie Woodson, vice president of the Oakland Elementary School PTA and chair of Reflections for the citywide PTA.

Students submitted a variety of visual and performing arts pieces, including original dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography and visual arts.

Students’ work was divided into four grade levels including primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior.

Students submitted their entries to the PTA coordinators at their schools in November. Judges selected by each school’s PTA chairperson judged the submitted work at the individual school level.

The first-place entries from each Suffolk school then moved on to the citywide competition and were judged by community members recommended by the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts and other school systems, according to Woodson.

The first-place entries from the citywide contest now have moved on to the district competition. From there, the first-place entries will be forwarded to the state contest.

Woodson eagerly awaits the results of the district competitions.

Student winners from the citywide competition will be honored at the Reflections Awards Ceremony in mid-February, according to Lemuel Jones, PTSA/PTA Council President for Suffolk.

Jones and Woodson hope to know the results of the district competitions soon so that they can recognize Suffolk students who placed at the award ceremony.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized for something they’ve chosen,” said Woodson. “This is the beginning of competition for them on so many levels.”

The award winners in each category and level are listed below.

Literature

Primary

1st — Chloe Swerda, Northern Shores Elementary

2nd — Brendan Old, Driver Elementary

3rd — Ellen Patchin, Oakland Elementary

Honorable Mention — Brendan Old, Driver Elementary

Intermediate

1st — Skylar Old, Driver Elementary

2nd — Haley Deboe Simons, Hillpoint Elementary

3rd — Emily Boehm, Northern Shores Elementary

Middle

1st — Trinity Torres, John Yeates Middle

2nd — Kiera Rountree, Forest Glen Middle

Senior

1st — Kristin Bender, Lakeland High

Photography

Primary

1st — Brendan Old, Driver Elementary

2nd — Lauren Martino, Hillpoint Elementary

3rd — Thomas Wolfe, Northern Shores Elementary

Honorable Mention — Joshua Howell, Southwestern Elementary

Honorable Mention — Rebecca Merryfield, Oakland Elementary

Intermediate

1st — Kyleigh Swerda, Northern Shores Elementary

2nd — Katie Henk, Driver Elementary

3rd — Kayla Sanzo, Oakland Elementary

Honorable Mention — Landon Martino, Hillpoint Elementary

Honorable Mention — Zachary Jones, Kilby Shores Elementary

Middle

1st — Virginia Boehn, John Yeates Middle

2nd — Samantha Gizara, Forest Glen Middle

Senior

1st — Jaylen Veal, Lakeland High

Visual Arts

Primary

1st — Brendan Old, Driver Elementary

2nd — Ellen Patchin, Oakland Elementary

3rd — Victoria Wilkins, Kilby Shores Elementary

Honorable Mention — Alexandra Leman, Northern Shores Elementary

Honorable Mention — Kerrigan Reno, Southwestern Elementary

Intermediate

1st — Gwenneth Leman, Northern Shores Elementary

2nd — Skylar Old, Driver Elementary

3rd — Kyleigh Hasson, Kilby Shores Elementary

Honorable Mention — Mackenzie West, Southwestern Elementary

Honorable Mention — Ryan Huhtala, Oakland Elementary

Middle

1st — Alicia Jiggets, John Yeates Middle

2nd — Makia Darden, Forest Glen Middle

Senior

1st — Virginia Barefoot, Lakeland High

2nd — Kristie Preneta, King’s Fork High

Dance

1st — Grace Godinez, Driver Elementary

2nd — Bria Miller, Oakland Elementary

Film

Intermediate

1st — Rebecca Leman, Northern Shores Elementary

Middle

1st — Trinity Torres, John Yeates Middle

2nd — Skyler Rozell, Forest Glen Middle

Musical Composition

Primary

1st — Aiden Yang, Northern Shores Elementary

2nd — Christina Morris, Kilby Shores Elementary

Intermediate

1st — Cody Faust, Driver Elementary

2nd — Rachel Yang, Northern Shores Elementary

3rd — Jana Nelhuebel, Oakland Elementary