By Julie Slama | [email protected]

When the theme for last year’s PTA Reflections was announced, Draper Elementary Chinese dual immersion second-grader Mia Seaborn knew she wanted to enter in dance choreography. Before she burst in the doors to tell her mother what she was doing, she already enlisted the help of her two friends, Kenedey Anderson and Jackie Woodward to join her.

“She came home that day and was like, ‘I’m doing Reflections and I've asked Jackie and Kenedey to be in it. I have this whole plan of how to make the world better,’” her mother, Ellie Seaborn, said adding that in the video, they recycle, they pick up trash and help plants grow “so the world will be more beautiful.”

Mia’s jazz dance video, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” expressed her way of matching the theme, “I will change the world by….”

Her excitement grew as she developed the dance and performed it with her friends, who she has done multiple activities with, including tumbling and soccer, despite Jackie being in a wheelchair.

“I like to dance,” Mia said, adding that she began at age 3 and knows several styles of dance. “I wanted to show all kinds of ways we can help out.”

Mia’s dance choreography video was not only the best in the state for kindergartners through second-graders, but she also was crowned national champion. She was surprised by a banner and balloons in her classroom and quickly had her two best friends join in the celebration.

“I hadn’t done Reflections before; it was my first time,” she said. “I’d tell anyone to do it. It’s a lot of fun.”

Her mother was on hand for the announcement.

“It’s really fun and it’s a really great memory for her and her two best friends to be able to do this together,” Seaborn said. “It started out with ‘let’s do something fun’ and now, it’s just ending with another fun moment.”

Her principal Christy Waddell said that the dance was “creatively made by a great student who was a darling to get her friends involved and just excited from the get-go when the theme was introduced.”

Draper Elementary Reflections Chair Melarie Wheat was proud of all the students’ entries.

“I’m super proud of all the kids who worked hard and did a great job,” she said. “As a volunteer, it was fun to see their videos and artwork. It’s so rewarding.”

The Draper Elementary students are among the 17,000 Utah students who compete at the school level. Students then can advance with an award of excellence to the council or regional level before those winners continue to state and possibly, nationals.

Each year, more than 300,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade nationally create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This program, which is more than 50 years old, is designed to give students a way to express their own thoughts through artistic ability in dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts.

The 2022-23 year’s theme is “Show Your Voice.”

Other 2021-22 state winners from the area include:

Cottonwood Heights

Powell Nebeker, Bella Vista Elementary, literature, honorable mention; Katelyn Green, Butler Middle, 2D visual art, honorable mention; and Laura Passey, Butler Middle, 3D art, honorable mention.

Draper

Charlie Hansen, Willow Springs Elementary, film production, award of merit; Max Stephens, Draper Park Middle, music composition, award of merit; Alex Piech, Draper Park Middle, photography, award of merit; Beau Boyce, Willow Springs, 3D visual art, honorable mention; and Natalie Van Roosendaal, Willow Springs, 3D visual art, honorable mention.

Midvale

Catherine Rubsam, Hillcrest High, literature, honorable mention; Micaela Madariaga, Hillcrest High, 2D visual art, award of merit; Elena Parker, Hillcrest High, 2D visual art, award of merit; William Griffiths, Edgemont Elementary, 2D visual art, award of merit; and Honoka Smith, Midvale Middle, 2D visual art, honorable mention.

Murray

Noelle Thackeray, Longview Elementary, photography, honorable mention; Milo Patterson, Horizon Elementary, 2D visual art, honorable mention; and Ivy Harding, Horizon Elementary, 3D art, award of merit.

Sandy

Kate Hepworth, Edgemont Elementary, film production, award of excellence; Anna Larson, Jordan High, music composition, award of merit; Leah Memmott, Indian Hills Middle, music composition, award of excellence; Vivian Christine Mackerell, Lone Peak Elementary, music composition, award of merit; Tawny McEntire, Willow Canyon Elementary, literature, honorable mention; Cameron Avery, Quail Hollow, photography, award of merit; and Ashley Meza, Jordan High, 3D art, award of merit.

South Jordan

Gabriel Hardy, Welby Elementary, film production, honorable mention; Siena Duncan, South Jordan Elementary, music composition, honorable mention; Jacob Whitmer, Welby Elementary, music composition, honorable mention; Bridger Pedroza, Elk Ridge Middle, music composition, award of merit; Eleanor Elshaug, Golden Fields Elementary, literature, honorable mention; Rush Simmons, Monte Vista Elementary, 2D visual art, award of merit; Olive Pettit, Golden Fields Elementary, 2D visual art, honorable mention; and Rebekah Brinton, Mountain Creek Middle, 2D visual art, award of merit.