PTA Reflections Awards Showcase MISD Students Artistic Creativity

Mercer Island, WA, January 28, 2026 - The National PTA’s Reflections program inspires pre-K to grade 12 students in Mercer Island School District to explore their thoughts, feelings, and ideas through original artwork. This year’s theme, "I Belong," challenged young artists creativity, dedication, and courage in expressing their artistic voice.

Awards have been given to outstanding entries, recognizing the hard work and talent of all who participated. 

To honor their achievements, the Reflections Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, February 25, from 5-7 p.m. in the IMS Commons. The ceremony will showcase select performances of music compositions and feature a display of visual arts, photography, literature, dance choreography, and film production entries.

2025-26 Reflections District Winners

Dance Choreography

Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2) 
1^st Place: Brook Vannatter (WM) See Through The Window
2^nd Place: Sky Vannatter (WM) Born To Belong

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5) 
1^st Place: Hayden Holt (IP) The Umbrella
2^nd Place: Ashley Chan (WM) We All Belong
3^rd Place: Elena Dubow (WM) Be You
Honorable Mentions: Gianna Besecker (NW), Kenzie Vannatter (WM)

Middle School (Grades 6-8) 
1^st Place: Pacey Vannatter (IMS) You're Perfect

Film

Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2) 
1st place: Sky Vannatter (WM) Community Canines

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5) 
1^st Place: Peter Zhang (WM) I belong
2^nd Place: Ayana Sibay (WM) Bully Bad, Kind Belong
3^rd Place: Maya Mashruwala (WM) We Belong
3^rd Place: Winston Weinrich (WM) Lil' Timmy's Big Day
Honorable Mentions: Quinn Streelman (WM) Belonging podcast episode 1

Middle School (Grades 6-8) 
1^st Place: Pacific Vannatter (IMS) Go Be Brave

High School (Grades 9-12)
1^st Place: Heero Lim (MIHS) Good (굿)

Literature

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1^st Place: Natalie Chan (WM) Panyre
2^nd Place: Adrit Pradeepkumar (LR) The Puzzle of Humanity
2^nd Place: Sukhi Shodhan (LR) Letter To Ellie Inviting you to be my friend, Character in Book Roll with it
3^rd Place: Hyunyi (Hennie) Lee (WM) True Meaning of Belonging
Honorable Mentions: Soneri Shodhan (LR) , Sarah Treves (NW), Haruichiro Ishiyama (WM), Zoe So (WM)

Middle School (Grades 6-8) 
1^st Place: Kaira Reddy (IMS) I Belong
2^nd Place: Audrey Kratz (IMS) Finding My Place
3^rd Place: Brielle Pyeun (IMS) Stages of Belonging 
3^rd Place: Bea Treves (IMS) The Island
Honorable Mentions: Leean Kang (IMS), Dana Kim (IMS), Jessica White (IMS) 

High School (Grades 9-12)
1^st Place: Phoenix Miller (MIHS) Forget-Me-Not
2^nd Place: Aasha Anbalagan (MIHS) The Missing Piece 
3^rd Place: Evie Pyeun (MIHS) Blue Mold & Red Kimchi
Honorable Mentions:  Jamie Jin (MIHS), Avani Josyula (MIHS), Christian Min (MIHS), Isabelle Min (MIHS), Evelyn Quekett (MIHS)

Music Composition

*ACCESSIBLE ARTS (6th-12th Grades)
1^st Place: Joshua Chan (IMS) Mixing Voices

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1^st Place: Adrit Pradeepkumar (LR) One Big Jigsaw Puzzle
2^nd Place: Abbie Long (LR) I Belong to Music
3^rd Place: Jasper Thomson (IP) Hope

Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1^st Place: Pranit Pradeepkumar (IMS) Interstice
2^nd Place: Ethan Shenoi (IMS) Pieces Together
3^rd Place: Aria Naftolin (IMS) Fly

High School (Grades 9-12)
1^st Place: Karis Huang (MIHS) Dance of the Nightshade

Photography

Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2) 
1^st Place: Jennie Wang (IP) The Mystery Stranger
2^nd Place: Kara Sloan (NW) The tree of different leaves

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5) 
1^st Place: Hyunyi (Hennie) Lee (WM) Odd one Out
2^nd Place: Mira Hersch (IP) The Naked Tree
3^rd Place: Jacob White (WM) My belonging of Underwater Sea creatures
Honorable Mentions:  Jasper Thomson (IP), Calder Morris (WM)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1^st Place: Ethan Moon (IMS) The leaf that wont let go
2^nd Place: Zoe Hartman (IMS) Ballers Belong
3^rd Place: Ari Stoffer (IMS) Together As One
Honorable Mentions: Vincent Liu (IMS), Madison Janusson (IMS)

High School (Grades 9-12)
1^st Place: Isabelle Chung (MIHS) Back to My Nature
2^nd Place: William Liu (MIHS) United Under the Sky
3^rd Place: Spencer Whipple (MIHS) Rooted in Air

Visual Arts

Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2) 
1^st Place: Jennie Wang (IP) I BELONG TO THE DUCK POND
2^nd Place: Woodley Smith (LR) Friends
3^rd Place: Weslyn Louie (WM) Candyland
Honorable mentions: Anika Younggreen (IP), Anderson Koo (LR), Brooks Aspiri (LR), Kara Sloan(NW), Eli Park(NW), Brook Vannatter (WM), Sky Vannatter (WM), Jonas Lau (WM)

Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5) 
1^st Place: Cecelia Smith (LR) Reading with a cat
2^nd Place: Xiaoyang Monica Zhou (WM) We Are All One
3^rd Place: Mason Park (NW) My World Road
Honorable mentions: Mira Hersch (IP), Henrietta Holt (IP), Kenzie Vannatter (WM), Moli Li (WM),  Sam Sternberg (WM) , Joanna Ju (WM), Luka Koch (WM), Leo Klevjer (WM), Eliza Thurow (WM), Jacob White (WM), Ava Precht(WM), Natalie Chan (WM), Greyson Lau (WM)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1^st Place: Dana Kim (IMS) I belong to nature
2^nd Place: Eli Kim (IMS) I Belong: With My Friends and Our Cards
3^rd Place: Madison Janusson (IMS) To Infinity and Belong
3^rd Place: Jiseung Park (IMS) Nobody doesn't belong.
Honorable mentions: Arya Hersch (IMS), Anuradha Lal (IMS), Evelyn Toyofuku (IMS)

High School (Grades 9-12)
1^st Place: Isabelle Chung (MIHS) Where I Fit
2^nd Place: Xintong Zhao (MIHS) Catharsis
3^rd Place: Sabine Fleming (MIHS) Sprinkles Says No
Honorable mentions: Kaylee Hu (MIHS)