Alston Ridge Middle School
REFLECTIONS
2020-21
Alston Ridge Middle School
REFLECTIONS
2020-21
Congratulations to all ARMS participants in this year’s 2020-2021 National PTA REFLECTIONS Program! Our warriors created and displayed many original, imaginative, and outstanding interpretations of this year’s theme“I Matter Because...”
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Congratulations to Ella Hodak and Harshika Yendapalli on being recognized by the State. Check out our warriors contributions below!
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What is Reflections?
Reflections is a nationwide art contest that encourages you to explore your own thoughts, feelings and ideas through artistic expression based on a specific theme. Over 300,000 students from Kindergarten thru high school participate from all over the United States. We will hold a blind judging of our school's entries (it will be virtual this year), and the top 28 entries from ARMS will advance to Wake County for judging. The county then holds judging of all those winners, who then advance to North Carolina state judging, and from there the winners go on to the national competition.

State Champions
Ella Hodak : State Finalist
Name : Ella Hodak
Grade : 7th
Category: Dance Choreography
Title : I'll Be There
Statement: I matter because I am a good friend that will listen with compassion, will stand up for, and empower my friends no matter their race, gender, or religion.
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Harshika Yendapalli : State Honorable Mention
Name : Harshika Yendapalli
Grade : 6th
Category: Photography
Title : All by itself
Statement: A lot of things blend into their surroundings, but sometimes a closer look could blur out the whole background to leave one lone plant standing by itself.
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Participants



Name : Harshika Yendapalli
Grade : 6th
Category: Photography
Title : So Small Yet So Big
Statement: The normal person is measured in feet. The sun is measured in miles. But sometimes even someone who feels so small can grow to feel so big.
You feel so small, yet so big.
Name : Anjali Samuel
Grade : 7th
Category: Photography
Title : 1 in a Million
Statement: I matter because I am as unique as the beauty of this one different flower out of the rest. I really like the pop of this one flower in the sea of yellow flowers. It really stood out.
Name : Anjali Samuel
Grade : 7th
Category: Photography
Title : The Pop in the Fall
Statement: I matter because I bring a pop of color to life like this flower. When the leaves are all turning brown in fall all you need is a pop of color to show how fun life can be.

Name : Arthav Gupta
Grade : 6th
Category: Photography
Title : Everybody Matters
Statement: I matter because I shine bright like the sun. I am unique because of my outburst of bright light.
I shine and give light to other people like the sun gives sunlights to earth.
“Everyone has this hidden light within them, they just need to identify and unleash it, so everybody matters”
Name : Arthav Gupta
Grade : 6th
Category: Literature
Title : Positive way of thinking
Statement: There are two ways of thinking that my poem shows, from top to bottom (negative thinking) and bottom to top (positive thinking). I matter because I always think positive and I can change the world with my ideas.
I matter because I can change the world and spread positivity around it.
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Name : Himanish Verma
Grade : 7th
Category: Literature
Title : We All Matter
Statement: This piece of literature represents the theme of “I Matter Because” because I am the one who can make a change in the world. After the black lives matter movement started I wanted to help make a change in the world so I went to the protest in Raleigh. This connects with the theme because it shows anybody can make a change is they decide to.
Name : Niyati Makkithaya
Grade : 7th
Category: Literature
Title : I Matter- Poem
Statement: This year, I have written a poem about why I matter. My Poem clearly tells everyone about my interests and strengths. It tells everyone about how I am making an impact on the world. It tells the reader about everything I can do for our world, to make our world thrive! I hope it tells everyone how important I am and what I am doing for our world. It does not matter if I am black brown or white. I am a human being so I can live the life I want. Everyone deserves to live in our beautiful world.
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Name : Himanish Verma
Grade : 7th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : Speak Up
Statement: My art goes with the theme of “I Matter Because” because it shows that everyone matters because they have the power to raise their voice and speak up. My art shows this by using the example of the BLM protests that happened in March, that I personally attended to be the voice of my generation.
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Name : Avanti Sathe
Grade : 6th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : 'Everyone Matters'
Statement: My art piece represents the diversity of the world and peace. No matter who you are, everyone matters. Why, you ask? Well, everyone matters because as you can see, everyone on that canvas is different by color, attire, nationality, religion, and even though you can’t see it, in real life, they speak different languages. Even people with the same nationality and religion are different in many ways. Now, just because everyone is different from each other, that doesn’t mean people should treat them any different. We all need to understand that everyone matters, despite their differences.

Name : Jayson DeSantis
Grade : 7th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : Ocean Sustainability Matters
Statement: Fish provide a very important food source for many people worldwide. By sustaining our oceans we can help create more food. Since fishing with rods is not very efficient, the fishing industry uses large nets that catch a lot of bycatch. Bycatch include turtles, dolphins, and other ocean species caught while trying to catch other fish such as cod. Although we may not be able to stop using nets, we can help by reducing their usage. I fish on a daily basis and I matter because I can spread the word and help keep our ecosystems and water systems healthy.

Name : Anjali Samuel
Grade : 7th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : Unique As A Feather
Statement: I matter because I am as unique as a feather.




Name : Anjali Samuel
Grade : 7th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : I Am Loved!
Statement: I matter because God loves me.
Name : Sarvesh Sai Deepasekaran
Grade : 6th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : The Boy Who Wondered Why...
Statement: My artwork shows a boy sitting on a mountain at moon rise thinking why do I matter because he had friends who asked him why he mattered in the world one of the main reasons he thought he mattered was because he had wise ideas to change the world from pollution and poverty. I think the theme means to express yourself on why you matter in the world and how you think of yourself.
Name : Nihar Prabhu Panchmal
Grade : 7th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : Matter in Science
Statement: All of us are assembled with the same matter, so why cant we all face facts and show that we matter?
Name : Andrew Lim
Grade : 6th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : How I Can Change the World
Statement: I believe that one day I can improve my community by making a business of my own ,becoming a scientist, and become a software engineer. I could change the world by maybe making robots or drones that could help humans. I also want to become an astronaut and go to space or maybe even mars.
I think I can do many thing that could help change the world into to a better place. I believe everyone matter because they can help change the world. That is why I think I matter because I could make a positive change to the world.

Name : Sohaan Mohapatra
Grade : 7th
Category: Visual Arts
Title : Making A Difference
Statement: I matter, because I can make a difference in the world. Our generation leads us into a new era of discovery, and being united not as different races, nor different colors, but as humans ourselves. Looking back on my answer, I believe that I (and others, of course) can impact the world in a positive way with creativity, resilience, and leadership. We can all make our own differences, together! We can accomplish many things, united!