Arlington County Council of PTAs Announced the 2025-26 Reflections Winners

Last week, the Arlington County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) announced the 2025-26 Reflections contest winners at the county level.

Reflections is a nationwide contest and arts promotion program that encourages students to create works in dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts, based on a common theme. This year’s theme was “I Belong!”

All students from prekindergarten through 12th grade are eligible to enter. All participants listed in this announcement will be celebrated at an Arlington County Reflections Awards Ceremony at Washington-Liberty High School on Mon, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. (snow date is Mon, Feb 23).

The top winner from each category and age division is selected as “Outstanding Interpretation of the Theme” and goes on to compete in the Virginia State PTA contest. The program continues at the national level.  For questions, please email April Maddox at [email protected].  

Dance Choreography
Primary Division (Kindergarten through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Alpha Driggs, Arlington Traditional
Award of Excellence:  Grace Quinn, Discovery Elementary
Award of Merit:  Umayal Nevethan, Arlington County Montessori 

Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Audrey Schaedig, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence:  Shanaya Bose, Claremont Immersion; Elizabeth Holt, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Merit:  Anu Dulguun, Arlington Traditional; Juliana Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; Travis Spitler, Netta Mendelson, Zora McEntyre, and Charlie Fenwich – Arlington County Montessori 

High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Molly Keng, Washington-Liberty High

Film
Primary Division (Kindergarten through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation:  A’lanni Wilson, Claremont Immersion

Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Zoe Jouy, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence:  Hannah Fernengel, Innovation Elementary; Blake Baird, Escuela Key
Award of Merit: Barakel Asegidew, Arlington Traditional; Elizabeth Flood, Cardinal Elementary; Maya Hassau, Tuckahoe Elementary; Ayan Parasram Magro, Arlington County Montessori  

Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Juniper Biron, Thomas Jefferson Middle
Award of Excellence:  Mae Hermida, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Merit: Reagan Hayes, Swanson Middle

Literature
Primary Division (Kindergarten through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Caroline Useem, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence:  Harper Roser, Arlington Traditional; Catherine Edmondson, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Merit: Vihan Hariharan, Escuela Key; Eleanor Shepherd, Claremont Elementary; Umayal Nevethan, Arlington County Montessori

Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Tess Rasche, Arlington County Montessori
Award of Excellence:  Lujayn Fouz, Arlington Traditional; Vihaan Raut, Escuela Key; Mira Nunziata, Discovery Elementary
Award of Merit: Elise Chandler, Claremont Immersion; Ayla Yekta, Taylor Elementary; Florian McGurk, Alice West Fleet Elementary; Brooklyn Van Ness, Jamestown Elementary; Eliot Merrow, Cardinal Elementary

Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Leyli Jahandari, Gunston Middle
Award of Excellence:  Juliana Wyss, Swanson Middle
Award of Merit: Jack Guthrie, Williamsburg Middle; Mae Hermida, Dorothy Hamm Middle; Savannah Foley, Swanson Middle

High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Arden Peale, Yorktown High

Music Composition
Primary Division (Kindergarten through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Joceyln Rothfuss, Claremont Immersion
Award of Excellence:  Umayal Nevethan, Arlington County Montessori
Award of Merit: Chloe Jouy, Discovery Elementary 

Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Charles Marusak, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence:  Theodore Abarcar, Arlington Traditional; Mei Liu-Graham, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Merit:  Sebastian Garcia, Claremont Immersion; Ayla Yekta, Taylor Elementary; Liesel Maddux, Escuela Key; Hattie Montague, Arlington County Montessori 

Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Abraham Fleisher, HB Woodlawn
Award of Excellence:  Juniper Biron, Thomas Jefferson
Award of Merit:  Sloan Frischknecht, Dorothy Hamm Middle; Marina David-Tombras, Gunston Middle; Sloan Hayes, Swanson Middle

High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Wilbur Nardone, Washington-Liberty High

Photography
Primary Division (Kindergarten through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Maxwell Smiroldo, Arlington Traditional
Award of Excellence:  Eleanor Shepherd, Claremont Immersion
Award of Merit:  Sarina Nunziata, Discovery Elementary; Noah Madrecki, Cardinal Elementary; Umayal Nevethan, Arlington County Montessori

Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation: Alexander Bajraktari, Arlington County Montessori
Award of Excellence:  Shanaya Bose, Claremont Immersion; Aydin Mehrabi, Arlington Traditional
Award of Merit:  Ayla Yekta, Taylor Elementary; Juliana Wamsley, Jamestown Elementary; Penelope Baker, Escuela Key; Caroline Dennis, Discovery Elementary

Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Jordan Kravetz, Gunston Middle
Award of Excellence: Charlotte Montague, Thomas Jefferson Middle
Award of Merit:  Josh Wilson, Williamsburg Middle; Sloan Hayes, Swanson Middle; Ramsay Macdonald, Swanson Middle; Clara Hermida, Dorothy Hamm Middle

High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Faith Miller, Wakefield High
Award of Excellence: Sami Wiriyotin, Washington-Liberty High
Award of Merit: Ana Vassou, Wakefield High

Visual Arts
Primary Division (Kindergarten through Grade 2)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Christian Tafakor, Discovery Elementary
Award of Excellence:  A’lanni Wilson, Claremont Immersion; Meghna Jain, Escuela Key; Clara-Ann Horsley, Arlington County Montessori
Award of Merit:  Samaira Goel, Arlington Traditional; Ana Cecilia Buckalew, Innovation Elementary; Alexandra Dunn, Taylor Elementary; Charley Romant, Jamestown Elementary; Everett Jones, Tuckahoe Elementary; Lillian Yoakam, Cardinal Elementary; Eleanor Montague, Arlington County Montessori 

Intermediate Division (Grades 3 through 5)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Tommy Wyss, Cardinal Elementary
Award of Excellence:  Hadeel Fouz, Arlington Traditional; Ayla Yekta, Taylor Elementary; Sarah Marshall, Tuckahoe Elementary
Award of Merit:  Anaya Atkins, Claremont Immersion; Ashley Kan, Innovation Elementary; Aayan Rahman, Alice West Fleet Elementary; Emery Van Ness, Jamestown Elementary; Dylan Baird, Escuela Key; Francesca Bausch, Discovery Elementary; Margaret Levett, Arlington County Montessori

Middle School Division (Grades 6 through 8)
Outstanding Interpretation: Alice Evett, Swanson Middle
Award of Excellence:  Kate Freeze, Dorothy Hamm Middle
Award of Merit: Dhilan Kirwin, Gunston Middle     

High School Division (Grades 9 through 12)
Outstanding Interpretation:  Quinn Fleming, Washington-Liberty High