Ben Rush PTA hosts special events throughout the year to bring families together and build our school community.
++ Up coming Events ++
Submission Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026 — Extended!
The National PTA Reflections Program invites Ben Rush students to explore their creativity and share what culture means to them through the arts.
Culture might include family traditions, language, food, music, celebrations, stories, meaningful places, community, everyday experiences—or something completely personal.
There is no single correct interpretation. We encourage students to express their own ideas, in their own voice and through their own art.
All entries must be submitted online by Friday, October 30, 2026.
Please review the category guidelines and prepare your artwork before completing the submission form.
Ben Rush students may submit original work in one or more of these categories:
Visual Arts
Drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, and other original artwork.
Literature
Poetry, short stories, essays, and other original writing.
Dance Choreography
An original dance composition choreographed by the student.
Students may submit one entry per category. Each entry must be the original creative work of one student and newly created for this year's theme.
Please review the relevant category guidelines before beginning.
Have the following ready before opening the Google Form:
Artwork File Requirements
|
Category |
File Format |
Requirements |
|
Visual Arts |
JPG, JPEG, PNG |
One image for 2D artwork; three images from different angles for 3D artwork. Maximum 2D size: 24 × 30 inches, including matting. |
|
Literature |
|
Maximum 2,000 words. Number the pages. Work written in another language must include an interpretive English translation. |
|
Dance Choreography |
MP4, MOV, AVI |
Maximum 5 minutes or 1,000 MB. Student must be the original choreographer. Cite background music, if used, including title, composer, and performer. |
Two ways to submit your Reflections artwork!
Ben Rush students can submit their entries online or in person at school.
Option 1 — Submit Online
Open the online submission form.
Complete the required student, parent, and artwork information.
Select your arts category.
The form will automatically direct you to the appropriate artwork upload section.
Upload your artwork, enter the required digital signatures, and submit.
Note: A Google Account is required for artwork file uploads through Google Forms.
Option 2 — Submit at School (Physical Submission)
No online upload needed!
Students can submit their original artwork directly at school.
The printed Student Entry Forms and Reflections Submission Box are located in the Ben Rush Elementary school office.
How to submit:
Pick up a printed Student Entry Form from the school office.
Complete all required information, including the artwork title, artist statement (10–100 words), and student and parent/guardian signatures.
Write the student's name, grade, and teacher's name on the back of the artwork.
Attach the completed entry form to the artwork using a paper clip.
Drop off both the artwork and completed form in the Reflections Submission Box in the school office. It will be available from Wednesday Oct 21, 2026 onwards.
The Ben Rush PTA Reflections team will scan or photograph submitted artwork for digital judging.
Physical submissions are available for Visual Arts and Literature. Dance Choreography entries should be submitted online.
Please complete a separate submission for each artwork.
Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026
Please review the official requirements before submitting. Entries must follow the National PTA Reflections rules and the guidelines for their chosen category.
Download the Guidelines:
The Accessible Arts Division provides an opportunity for eligible students with disabilities to participate with permitted accommodations.
Students choosing this division must also select an arts category and grade division.
Students can begin by thinking about:
There is no single correct interpretation of the theme. Every student's experience and perspective is valuable.
The ideas, artwork, title, and artist statement must come from the student. Parents and teachers may explain the theme, offer encouragement, and provide permitted technical assistance.
For Parents and Students
Explore these optional resources to encourage creativity:
These activities are for inspiration and are not substitutes for creating an original Reflections entry.
Entries will be reviewed according to the National PTA Reflections judging criteria:
Selected entries may advance to the next level of the PTA Reflections Program.
Information about student recognition and any artwork showcase will be shared with families when available.
If you have questions about the program or experience technical difficulties uploading your entry, please contact:
Ben Rush PTA Reflections Chair
Reflections@benrushpta.org
For additional information, visit the National PTA Reflections website.
✍️ Save the Date for our First Big Event of the Year!
🍦 Ice Cream Social & School Open House
Thursday, Sept. 25 | 6:15–7:30 PM
Join us for a sweet evening of community and connection!
Families old and new are invited to enjoy ice cream together and explore the school during our Open House (with sessions split by age groups).
✨ Whether you’re a brand-new family or one that’s been part of the school for a few years, this is a wonderful chance to:
We can’t wait to see you there and kick off an amazing year together!
Summer Fest
Thursday June 12th 6:00-8:00 | School playground area
Obstacle course, inflatables, food trucks, arts & crafts, bubble station, face painting and more!
Tastes of the World
Thursday, February 20th, 5:30-7:45 | Ben Rush Commons and Gym
Tastes of the World 2025
Was so much fun seeing the cultures of our school come together! So colorful, and the food was fantastic!
Thank you to all the families who came. And thank you to everyone that volunteered and made each table look great 🌻
🙏 Thank you to the teachers that led this event and also took active parts in the booths: Mrs. Oh, Mrs. Gupta and Mr. Wilson.
⭐ And Thank you to the Principal Mrs. Davies, and the Associate Principal, Mrs. Hines-Yates, for enabling and supporting PTA events and activities throughout the year.
End of the Year Summer Fest
Last event of the year was a blast. New event that included bounce houses, a magic show, a photo booth, food trucks and great activity booths run by wonderful parent volunteers: face painting, candy fishing, outdoor games, henna art, rock painting, volcano experiment, friendship bracelets and bubble fun. All for the enjoyment of the school's community.
Dance Night
After a week that the kids learned and practiced the dance moves, they got to dance all together and with their families, in a very energetic event!
Gaylen the instructor, brought his great vibes as always, and made it into a night to remember.
Great big thank you to Gaylen and to our wonderful team of teachers that also supported the event throughout the week: Mr. Rataezyk, Mrs. Hodges, Mr. Robbe and Mrs. Como. And of course as always, to our fantastic volunteers who make all these events possible.
Science Fair
The Science Fair proved to be a tremendous success!
Hundreds of students had the chance to showcase their science projects to the school community. Each participant detailed their project, answered questions, and received recognition with a banner.
The experiments were captivating, innovative, and well presented.
We were honored to host a special guest, Pamela from Cascade Enrichment, who offered kids the opportunity to use microscopes and identify different materials like rice, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and sugar. It was interesting and exciting!
A big thank you, to all the students whose participation contributed to the success of this remarkable event.
Movie Night - Superpets
Another enjoyable movie for the whole family.
Families enjoyed Friday evening, with this fun movie, friends, popcorn and pizza.
Game Night
More than 45 families came with their games and great spirits to enjoy a fun community evening.
Kids and adults played board and card games, while enjoying free pizza and great vibes.
Thank you to all the families who made it, despite the stormy weather.
And a special thanks to our wonderful volunteers who made this event possible.
Art Night
Families came together to craft beautiful string art on wooden boards, employing painting, nail hammering, and string stretching techniques. Despite using identical materials, each creation showcased individuality, mirroring the unique spirit of its young creator.
Thank you to all that joined to make this event special.
And thank you to Noga from Sit and Kit Studio for the fun and professional instruction of the evening.
Family Yoga & Hip-Hop
Thank you to everyone that came to the Family Yoga Hip Hop event.
Was great to see the kids and the families active and having fun.
And thank you to Natalie and Madison from Dukane Studio for two great sessions. Was a blast.
