Special to the Reporter
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 from 5-7 p.m. on Feb. 25 in the Islander Middle School 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)
1st Place: Brook Vannatter (West Mercer — WM) See Through The Window
2nd Place: Sky Vannatter (WM) Born To Belong
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1st Place: Hayden Holt (Island Park — IP) The Umbrella
2nd Place: Ashley Chan (WM) We All Belong
3rd Place: Elena Dubow (WM) Be You
Honorable Mentions: Gianna Besecker (Northwood — NW) and Kenzie Vannatter (WM)
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1st Place: Pacey Vannatter (Islander Middle School — IMS) You’re Perfect
Film
Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2)
1st place: Sky Vannatter (WM) Community Canines
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1st Place: Peter Zhang (WM) I belong
2nd Place: Ayana Sibay (WM) Bully Bad, Kind Belong
3rd Place: Maya Mashruwala (WM) We Belong
3rd Place: Winston Weinrich (WM) Lil’ Timmy’s Big Day
Honorable Mention: Quinn Streelman (WM) Belonging podcast episode 1
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1st Place: Pacific Vannatter (IMS) Go Be Brave
High School (Grades 9-12)
1st Place: Heero Lim (Mercer Island High School — MIHS) Good (굿)
Literature
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1st Place: Natalie Chan (WM) Panyre
2nd Place: Adrit Pradeepkumar (Lakeridge — LR) The Puzzle of Humanity
2nd Place: Sukhi Shodhan (LR) Letter To Ellie Inviting you to be my friend, Character in Book Roll with it
3rd Place: Hyunyi (Hennie) Lee (WM) True Meaning of Belonging
Honorable Mentions: Soneri Shodhan (LR), Sarah Treves (NW), Haruichiro Ishiyama (WM) and Zoe So (WM)
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1st Place: Kaira Reddy (IMS) I Belong
2nd Place: Audrey Kratz (IMS) Finding My Place
3rd Place: Brielle Pyeun (IMS) Stages of Belonging
3rd Place: Bea Treves (IMS) The Island
Honorable Mentions: Leean Kang (IMS), Dana Kim (IMS) and Jessica White (IMS)
High School (Grades 9-12)
1st Place: Phoenix Miller (MIHS) Forget-Me-Not
2nd Place: Aasha Anbalagan (MIHS) The Missing Piece
3rd Place: Evie Pyeun (MIHS) Blue Mold & Red Kimchi
Honorable Mentions: Jamie Jin (MIHS), Avani Josyula (MIHS), Christian Min (MIHS), Isabelle Min (MIHS) and Evelyn Quekett (MIHS)
Music Composition
Accessible Arts (6th-12th Grades)
1st Place: Joshua Chan (IMS) Mixing Voices
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1st Place: Adrit Pradeepkumar (LR) One Big Jigsaw Puzzle
2nd Place: Abbie Long (LR) I Belong to Music
3rd Place: Jasper Thomson (IP) Hope
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1st Place: Pranit Pradeepkumar (IMS) Interstice
2nd Place: Ethan Shenoi (IMS) Pieces Together
3rd Place: Aria Naftolin (IMS) Fly
High School (Grades 9-12)
1st Place: Karis Huang (MIHS) Dance of the Nightshade
Photography
Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2)
1st Place: Jennie Wang (IP) The Mystery Stranger
2nd Place: Kara Sloan (NW) The tree of different leaves
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1st Place: Hyunyi (Hennie) Lee (WM) Odd one Out
2nd Place: Mira Hersch (IP) The Naked Tree
3rd Place: Jacob White (WM) My belonging of Underwater Sea creatures
Honorable Mentions: Jasper Thomson (IP) and Calder Morris (WM)
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1st Place: Ethan Moon (IMS) The leaf that wont let go
2nd Place: Zoe Hartman (IMS) Ballers Belong
3rd Place: Ari Stoffer (IMS) Together As One
Honorable Mentions: Vincent Liu (IMS) and Madison Janusson (IMS)
High School (Grades 9-12)
1st Place: Isabelle Chung (MIHS) Back to My Nature
2nd Place: William Liu (MIHS) United Under the Sky
3rd Place: Spencer Whipple (MIHS) Rooted in Air
Visual Arts
Primary Division (Preschool-Grade 2)
1st Place: Jennie Wang (IP) I BELONG TO THE DUCK POND
2nd Place: Woodley Smith (LR) Friends
3rd 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) and Jonas Lau (WM)
Intermediate Division (Grades 3-5)
1st Place: Cecelia Smith (LR) Reading with a cat
2nd Place: Xiaoyang Monica Zhou (WM) We Are All One
3rd 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) and Greyson Lau (WM)
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
1st Place: Dana Kim (IMS) I belong to nature
2nd Place: Eli Kim (IMS) I Belong: With My Friends and Our Cards
3rd Place: Madison Janusson (IMS) To Infinity and Belong
3rd Place: Jiseung Park (IMS) Nobody doesn’t belong.
Honorable Mentions: Arya Hersch (IMS), Anuradha Lal (IMS) and Evelyn Toyofuku (IMS)
High School (Grades 9-12)
1st Place: Isabelle Chung (MIHS) Where I Fit
2nd Place: Xintong Zhao (MIHS) Catharsis
3rd Place: Sabine Fleming (MIHS) Sprinkles Says No
Honorable Mention: Kaylee Hu (MIHS)
