The Virginia Beach Council of PTAs announced the 2025 citywide Reflections winners Feb. 27 during a recognition ceremony at Larkspur Middle School.

This year’s Reflections theme was “Accepting Imperfection.”

VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. attended the event and congratulated the winners.

“I’m amazed at your creativeness,” he told them.

The national program encourages students to enter works of art in the areas of literature, musical composition, photography, visual arts, film/videography and dance/choreography.

Each school had the opportunity to choose winners in each category and submit first place recipients to the citywide competition. This year 132 works of art were received.

Nine citywide winners were recognized with awards from the state Reflections committee, including two who advanced to the national competition.

This year’s citywide Reflections winners are:

Dance:

Intermediate:

1. Nia Kaczkowski-Old Donation School
2. Naiya Agbulos-Kingston Elementary
3. Sawyer Halvorson-Thoroughgood Elementary
4. Tenley Daniels-Hermitage Elementary

Middle School:

1. Aanya Jain-Old Donation School

Film:

Primary:

1. Josie Krueger-Christopher Farms Elementary; State Reflections “Award of Excellence”
2. Henry Carpenter-Trantwood Elementary

Intermediate:

1. Hayden Klepacz-Old Donation School
2. Julia Santos-Glenwood Elementary
3. Wesley Unger-Hermitage Elementary
4. Henry Finger-Providence Elementary-accessible artist, State Reflections “Outstanding Interpretation”

Middle:

1. Yue-Lin Chen-Old Donation School, State Reflections “Honorable Mention”

Literature:

Primary:

1.Connor Echols-North Landing Elementary, State Reflections “Award of Excellence”

2. Marnet Roberts-Cooke Elementary
3. Marleigh Lockwood-Red Mill Elementary
4. Joseph Abramson-Rosemont Elementary

Intermediate:

1. Yue-Ting Chen-Old Donation School, State Reflections “Award of Excellence”
2. Saachi Chitikeshi-Kingston Elementary
3. Douglas Bynum-Ocean Lakes Elementary

4.Mridul Samtani-Thoroughgood Elementary

Middle School:

1. Ja’Niyah Brown-Plaza Middle, State Reflections “Outstanding Interpretation,” advanced to national competition.
2. Beatriz Bretas Villa-Old Donation School
3. Jade Saunders-Independence Middle
4. Lily Fargo-Virginia Beach Middle(tie)
5. Sheryl Knips-Great Neck Middle(tie)

High School:

1. Scarlett Clark-First Colonial High School
2. Evelyn Freck-Landstown High School

Musical Composition

Primary:

1. Alex Kaloydis-North Landing Elementary-State Reflections “Honorable Mention”
2. Aidan Wang-Kingston Elementary
3. Rosamor Hauris-Ocean Lakes Elementary

Intermediate:

1. Mridul Samtani-Thoroughgood Elementary
2. Cameron Hall-Hermitage Elementary
3. Asher Froehler-Trantwood Elementary
4. Carter Garofalo-Red Mill Elementary

Middle School:

1. Riona Roychoudhury-Old Donation School, State Reflections “Outstanding Interpretation,” advanced to national competition
2. Lily Fargo-Virginia Beach Middle
3. Mia Rivera-Independence Middle
4. Campbell McLaren-Great Neck Middle

Photography

Primary:

1. Eleni Johnston-Red Mill Elementary
2. Russel Fosdick-Three Oaks Elementary
3. Kaitlyn Verbanic-Thalia Elementary
4. Arthur Van Niel-Thoroughgood Elementary(tie)
5. Kristina Relph-Malibu Elementary(tie)

Intermediate:

1. Landon Blaylock-Glenwood Elementary
2. Sophia Lucero-Hermitage Elementary
3. Alek Ciric-Thoroughgood Elementary(tie)
4. Norah Conery-Old Donation School(tie)
5. Gabriel Booth-Three Oaks Elementary

Middle School:

1. Liam Conery-Old Donation School
2. Carly Knox-Great Neck Middle
3. Nicole Verbanic-Independence Middle
4. Sam Oswald-Virginia Beach Middle(tie)
5. Brayden Deutsch-Corporate Landing Middle(tie)

High School:

1. Reagan Vaughn-First Colonial High School
2. Brighten Doebler-Landstown High School
3. “Violet” Marlee Warren-Salem High School

Visual Arts

Primary:

1. Evelyn Kraus-Rosemont Elementary
2. Jenavieve Klepacz-Windsor Woods Elementary
3. Noelle Schulte-North Landing Elementary
4. Maya Ramirez-Glenwood Elementary

Intermediate:

1. Summer Whitworth-Kingston Elementary-State Reflections “Honorable Mention”
2. Norah Hamilton-North Landing Elementary
3. Lillian Milligan-Linkhorn Park Elementary
4. Olivia Funk-Providence Elementary

Middle School:

1. Loor Luiten-Great Neck Middle
2. Shruthi Giridharan-Old Donation School
3. Savannah Gonzalez-Plaza Middle
4. Richal Sharma Dotel-Independence Middle

High School:

1. “Violet” Marlee Warren-Salem High School
2. Payton Rindy-Kellam High School
3. Kaylee Powell-Landstown High School
4. Lana Macchi-First Colonial High School