Pines 4th Grader Named National PTA Reflections Award-Winner

Marcus Ballerini, age nine, a student at Pines Elementary School in Smithtown, New York is a 2013-2014 New York State PTA Reflections Award Winner for achievement in the arts. Ballerini’s artwork, titled “Composing a Vision,” has been recognized with an Award of Excellence in the category of Photography, Intermediate Division.

Nearly 300,000 students from across the country, and in American schools overseas, participate annually in the National PTA’s Reflections program. The awards program spans six arts categories (Dance Choreography, Film Production, Music Composition, Photography, Literature and Visual Arts) across four grade divisions and the Special Artist Division, intended for students whose physical, cognitive or mental health challenges meet ADA guidelines. This year, students explored the arts and the world around them through the theme “Believe, Dream, Inspire.”

Ballerini described his photographic vision in the Artist’s Statement that he submitted for Reflections:

“One of the people who inspire me is Albert Einstein. Einstein said, ‘I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination…Imagination encircles the world.’ I wrote Vincent Van Gogh’s quote on the backdrop behind me because he is also one of the many people who inspire me. I am a student of science and I am a photographer and a painter. I did a self–portrait that combined my two artistic visions and I was very encouraged that my favorite scientist and one of my favorite artists have the same philosophy. They believe in their visions, they dream, and they inspire people like me to be their own thinkers and to create their own visions of the universe. I painted myself to look like I was part of the writing and painting in the background and then took my art to the next level by photographing myself as a painted canvas. I played with the light to make it look like I was painted on the background and then I used the self-timer. While I was waiting for the timer to go off, I envisioned what my final painting /photograph would look like. I believe in my dream and my vision. I hope my photo inspires everyone who views it.”

Ballerini’s photography will be featured at the 2014 Annual National PTA Convention and Exhibition to be held June 19-22, 2014 in Austin, Texas. He additionally will be among the National Award recipients who will be recognized in a public gallery at the U.S. Department of Education, in Washington, D.C. in January and February of 2015.

ABOUT REFLECTIONS

Nearly 300,000 students from across the country, and in American schools overseas, participate annually in the National PTA’s Reflections program. The awards program spans six arts categories (Dance Choreography, Film Production, Music Composition, Photography, Literature and Visual Arts) across four grade divisions and the Special Artist Division, intended for students whose physical, cognitive or mental health challenges meet ADA guidelines. National PTA believes every child deserves a quality arts education. Participation in arts programs like Reflections levels the playing field for underserved students, develops the whole-child, nurtures creativity and teamwork and connects families and schools to one another and to their communities.