Entries are submitted to and judged at the local level and the top entries are forwarded to the next level of judging (council, district/region, or state). Each local and state PTA determines how it will recognize and award participants.

Entries that reach the national level of judging receive one of four levels of recognition: 

• Honorable Mention
• Award of Merit
• Award of Excellence
• Outstanding Interpretation Award

The national PTA organization gives up to five Awards of Merit and three Awards of Excellence in each grade division of each arts area. Six Outstanding Interpretation Award recipients—one from each arts area—are chosen from among all the Award of Excellence recipients. The Outstanding Interpretation Awards recognize the most creative interpretation of the theme in each of the arts areas, regardless of grade division.

All students whose entries reach the national level of judging will receive a letter of congratulations and are considered Honorable Mentions.

Read more in the PDF below.

National Awards and Recognition (PDF) [link]