STATE OF THE ART

Savannah Mosley (MT, ‘29) was cast as Louisa in Westminster Community Playhouse’s spring production of “The Sound of Music.” Directed by Jesse Seann Atkinson, the play ran from May to June 2025.

Sam Sweeney (PM, ‘25) achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Boy Scouts and is awarded to those who exemplify leadership within their troop and unit.

Gordon Rocks (CW, ‘28) appeared as a co-star in Brat TV’s web series “The 4pm Club,” playing the role of Jordan.

OCSA's Middle School Thespian Troupe 6826 participated in the 2025 Junior Thespian Festival, held on the OCSA campus, where they had the opportunity to take part in workshops, perform in the Theatre Thespy Competitions, and connect with their fellow middle school Thespians. Several Junior Thespians received First Place or were Judge's Choice winners. Below are the students who took part:

Irene Cho (VA, ‘31)
Riley Gartland (PM, ‘29)
Dominic Gourley (ACT, ‘30)
Rhea Kolapalli (IA, ‘29)
Madilyn Kuo (ACT, ‘30)
Savannah Lehman (IA, ‘29)
Milana Manko (ACT, ‘30)
Amari McCoy (ACT, ‘29)
Rocco McKenzie (ACT, ‘30)
Zooey Miyoshi (ACT, ‘30)
Jadyn Rutty (IA, ‘29)
Isabella Sun (BR, ‘30)
Kayleigh Thompson (ACT, ‘29)
Amelia Wittkop (ACT, ‘30)
Macy Wong (IA, ‘29)

OCSA's High School Thespians Troupe 6826 participated in the California State Thespian Festival at Pomona College, where they had the opportunity to take part in workshops, perform in the Theatre Thespy Competitions, and connected with fellow high school troupes from across Southern California. The troupe earned multiple First Place wins, Judge’s Choice features, and two scholarships. Below are the students who took part:

Annika Almgren (PM, ‘28)
Sailee Charlu (CW, ‘27)
Malia Chisick (MT, ‘25)
Samantha Divis (MT, ‘25)
Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25)
Bella Gonzales (MT, ‘28)
Gianna Gourley (MT, ‘27)
Evani Gulati (MT, ‘26)
Vivian Gutierrez (MT, ‘28)
Nathan Han (MT, ‘26)
Lola Ivie-Valle (ACT, ‘28)
Sophie Kim (ACT, ‘26)
Shayla Knihtila (ACT, ‘26)
Maddy Labrado (MT, ‘27)
Evan Lee (MT, ‘28)
Lana Lee (IA, ‘26)
Leona Lin (AE, ‘28)
Bella Lloyd (MT, ‘25)
Valeria Martinez (ACT, ‘27)
Pilar Rivera (VA, ‘26)
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25)
Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘25)
Ava Villacorta (MT, ‘27)

Science Instructor Christine Karlberg wrote a DonorsChoose grant that provided funding for the purchase of harnesses, chalk bags, and chalk for the SO OCSA Climbing Club. Founded by Ms. Karlberg and Social Studies Instructor Rachel Trask, the club provides opportunities for students to try rock climbing at the Sender One gym in Santa Ana and build healthy physical outlets, problem-solving skills, and overall community.

Isaac Lockitch (IA, ‘27) was accepted as a Junior Member of the Academy of Magical Arts at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. The opportunity set Isaac up for regular meetups with accomplished magicians, mentoring, theory lectures, and the ability to grow his skills while being part of a high-caliber magic community.

Liam Posos (CV, ‘28) was featured on the International Day of Spanish and Latin American Art Song global broadcast in May 2025 with his recording of Edward Kilyeni’s “Mi Sueño.”

Kenneth Chung (IM, ‘28) and Gracie Park (IM, ‘28) participated in Global Mission Chamber Orchestra’s fundraising benefit concert, “Rise from the Ashes,” held in February 2025 in support of the L.A. Fire victims and firefighters.

Stella Cao (IM, ‘29) had her artwork, titled “Have a Piece of My Mind,” accepted to be published by Celebrating Art, sponsored by Blick Art Materials.

Jocelyn Tang (VA, ‘27) was able to showcase her own line of clothes at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) in February 2025. NYFW takes place in various locations throughout New York City, often including iconic venues.

Elle Scord (PM, ‘25) took part in John Wayne Airport’s OC Flight Lessons, where student pilots learn how to operate aircrafts to help prepare them for potential careers in aviation.

Ella Choi (IM, ‘28) won Third Place in the 2025 California Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Timpani Competition’s High School Division.

Nathan Han (MT, ‘26) and Iva Liu (CV, ‘27) attended the prestigious 53rd Annual Tournament of Champions (TOC) Speech & Debate Tournament at the University of Kentucky. Nathan won Second Place in Humorous Interpretation, while Iva won the National Championship in the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Iva was the first sophomore in history to receive the Dukes & Bailey Cup, given to the top debater in the country.

The students listed below participated in the Orange County College Fashion Event “RE/GENERATION: A Celebration of Art and Fashion.” Alongside Kim Jones, Fashion and Costume Instructor, students were able to showcase their outstanding work.

Celeste Arvizu (BR, ‘25)
Conrad Cain (IA, ‘26)
Wyatt Paloci (DM, ‘25)
Jade Rolon (BF, ‘26)
Andrew Vargas (FTV, ‘25) - Second Place
Kieran Yandoc (DM, ‘25)
Kevin Zhang (IA, ‘26) - First Place

Ava Villacorta (MT, ‘27) was nominated for the Lovis Hero Award for her continued work with Mālama, a non-profit mental health organization, through the Dragon Kim Foundation. The Lovis Hero Award recognizes 9th grade - extended services students who demonstrate resilience and determination in overcoming challenges to make a difference in their community.

OCSA’s Model United Nation (MUN) team received awards for their efforts at the MUN Conference in March 2025 at Laguna Beach High School. Below are the students and their respective honors:

Best Delegates
Kamille Le (VA, ‘29)
Jairus Merrit (IA, ‘27)
Aarzu Singh (ACT, ‘26)

Outstanding Awards
Katelyn Chang (IM, ‘28)
Kaylee Lu (FTV, ‘28)
Grace Yu (BCD, ‘26)

Commendation Awards
Grant Herman (ACT, ‘27) and Cathy Kim (ACT, ‘27) - Dual-Delegate Committee
Hanna Heger (CW, ‘26)
Jihu Lee (IM, ‘29)
Juhan Lee (IM, ‘30)
Olivia Park (IM, ‘29)

Research Awards
Asmi Aggarwal (CV, ‘27)
Rebecca Yang (CW, ‘27)

Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) won First Place in the American Songwriter's 2024 Teen Category for her song “Billboard City.” American Songwriter’s annual competition, recognized for its prestige and influence within the music industry, is a significant platform for rising talent. Summer also performed at the music festival Bottlerock Napa Valley on the JamPad Stage in May 2025. She was on the line-up alongside artists such as E40, Green Day, and Sublime.

The following OCSA students were honorees in the Writing category for the 2025 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, which celebrates creative teens regionally and nationally with awards, exhibitions, publications, and scholarships.

National Silver Medalists
Chloesse Chang (CW, ‘28) - “Types of People in a Robotics Team”
Samantha Wu (CW, ‘27) - “At Dave’s Door”

Regional Gold Key
Elise Choi (CW, ‘27) - “the ingredients of juice”
Yuna Chun (IM, ‘25) - “The Cost of Multitasking for Students”
Yeeun Chung (CW, ‘25) - “Thanksgiving”
Zara Daneva (CW, ‘26) - “Solutions to the Fermi Paradox”
Ryan Jung (CW, ‘26) - “A Lesson in Alchemy”
Hillary Kim (CW, ‘28) - “The Great Battle (Or Some other Epic Name)”
Sarina Marzbani (CW, ‘27) - “Mourning View”
Adyson Ngo (CW, ‘27) - “Ode to Bees”
Rena Oh (CW, ‘28) - “Russian Dolls”
Chloe Woo (IM, ‘27) - “Scent of Home”
Samantha Wu (CW, ‘27) - “Ocean’s Regifted”

Regional Silver Key
Irene Cho (MT, ‘29) - “Loss”
Zara Daneva (CW, ‘26) - “Yes, No, Maybe So”
Diego Gonzales (CW, ‘27) - “storm. No. 663”
Kang Han (AE, ‘26) - “The Art of Falling”
Jenna Hong (CW, ‘28) - “Please Stand”
Ryan Jung (CW, ‘26) - “A Manifesto Against the Changing Collective”
Danwoo Kwak (MT, ‘26) - “Nightmare on Finals Week”
Ellie Park (IA, ‘29) - “Current Currents”
Sophie Sukendro (IM, ‘26) - “Bosnia And Herzegovina: The Necessity of Reform to Mitigate the Aftermath of Ethnic Cleansing”
Yimeng Wang (CW, ‘25) - “Mother, Please Hold Me”
Chloe Woo (IM, ‘27) - “Impact of Parenting Styles and Home Environment in moderating the effect of Violence Exposure on Antisocial Behavior in Adolescents”
Samantha Wu (CW, ‘27) - “A Lotus Blooms”, “Between Her Lips”, and “God is Dead”
Kyle Yoon (DM, ‘28) - “A Bad Day”

The OCSA Tennis Team triumphed over Irvine’s Heritage Park Club Team, securing the final victory of the league tournament and claiming a second consecutive championship title. The Tennis Team is a USTA junior tennis-sanctioned team coached by Danny Slloum at their home courts, Cabrillo Tennis Center / Matchpoint Tennis Academy in Santa Ana. Below are the students in the OCSA Tennis Team line-up:

Oscar Aragon (IM, ‘27)
Charlie Blumling (IA, ‘25)
Quinn Conroy (MT, ‘27)
Megan Demeter (DM, ‘27)
Theo Jeon (IM, ‘27)
Ashley Kamogari (MT, ‘26)
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25)
Teagan Spiak (AE, ‘26)

Jacob Avila (FTV, ‘26) won first place for a music video at the Notre Dame High School of Sherman Oaks’ New Optics Film Festival.

David Wong (CW, ‘26) won the Conductor Choice Award at the Bellflower Symphony Association Concerto Competition. The honor recognized David’s exceptional talent and dedication as an oboist.

Chloesse Chang (CW, ‘28), Conlan Goodemote (PD, ‘26), and Coco Xiao (VA, ‘25) competed in the Aerospace Valley Regional Robotics Tournament in Lancaster where their team ranked fourth out of 40, and was the first pick of Alliance 2 (2nd seed) in the playoffs. They won the Autonomous Award for their consistent and high-performance robot operation during autonomously managed actions. They currently have a 13-year World Championship streak behind them.

Emily Engel (ACT, ‘26) served as the Tournament Manager for the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation’s Orange County Aerial Drone Competition in January 2025. Through Drones4Kids, the partnered hosts of the competition, Emily managed the registration process for over 100 participants (including high school and middle school students, coaches, and parents), oversaw network/device setup, including scoring tablets, ran matches, entered awards, and finalized tournament results. She also provided guidance to students with organizational, communication, and technical skills. Below are the awards that Emily received for her efforts:

- Certificate of Congressional Recognition by Young Kim, Member of Congress for California's 40th District, for outstanding contributions to STEM education.
State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition from Tony Strickland, California State Senator, 36th District
- Certificate of Recognition from Janice A. Lim, Mayor of Yorba Linda, for embracing the power of technology and participating in the largest drone competition event.
- Certificate of Recognition from Assemblyman Phillip Chen, 59th District, for inspiring young minds to become future innovators.
- Certificate of Recognition from Fred Jung, Mayor of Fullerton, 1st District, for dedication to STEM education.

Jeri-Rose Stein (ACT, ‘26) wrote a poem titled “Do Not Be Fooled By The Rainbow in the Window” and was one of 2% of submitted works selected to be published in American High School Poets Anthology 2025-2026. The book is currently available on Amazon.

Samuel Chung (IM, ‘25) and Allie Molin (IM, ‘25) were accepted to Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz in the summer, for saxophone and trumpet, respectively. Samuel and Allie began a two-week residency at Purchase College, SUNY, where they worked with NYO Jazz Artistic Director Sean Jones and an all-star faculty. After the residency, NYO Jazz performed at Carnegie Hall with special guest artist Luciana Souza before embarking on a five-concert tour to Brazil and the Dominican Republic, marking the first NYO Jazz tours in those countries.

Lincoln Ferchaw (IA, ‘27), as a forward with the Villa Park Spartans, won the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League (ADHSHL) Varsity Division 3 Valley Conference Championship. The Spartans qualified for the ADHSHL Commissioner’s Cup and became champions after defeating the Inland Empire United Wolverines, the Ridge Conference Champions, at the FivePoint Arena in Irvine. Lincoln tallied seven goals and eight assists in 20 games during the 2024-2025 season.

Allie Molin (IM, ‘25) was on tour with the Herbie Hancock Institute Peer to Peer tour in February 2025. She was one of only six students in the country chosen for the tour, where they were paired with other students from performing arts schools across the nation for educational outreach and performance opportunities. See the video below for more information: https://bit.ly/4556lT4

Shannon Imaoka (IM, ‘28) took the American Chemical Society Orange County Chemistry Olympiad Local Section Exam, along with over 350 second-year chemistry students. Placing in the top 12, Shannon advanced to the US National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO), which was held in April 2025. Shannon is the second student in the history of OCSA to advance to the USNCO. Additionally, Shannon was honored at the American Chemical Society Awards banquet in May.

OCSA High School Science Olympiad, led by Olympiad Coach and Chemistry Instructor Heather Jonson, competed in the High School Regional Science Bowl competition at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in March 2025. They were one of eight teams to advance to the double elimination round. This was the team’s second year in a row of advancing. Just like in the previous year, Science Olympiad placed fifth out of 20 teams. The team also placed Third at the Orange County Science Olympiad Regional Championships at University of California, Irvine in February. They then went on to place Sixth at the State Competition at CalTech in April. The team earned medals in ten events. Listed below are the students who competed in the respective events:

State Competition at CalTech
Dane Bergman (IA, ‘25)
Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25)
Henry Courtney (CV, ‘26)
Armaan Diwan (IM, ‘27)
Juneau Foxlin (IM, ‘26)
Ally Halid (IA, ‘26)
Natalie Hoffman (CW, ‘25)
Mary Hong (PD, ‘26)
Elena Huang (CV, ‘28)
Reyna Jeon (VA, ‘28)
Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
Hennah Kim (CW, ‘25)
Lila Olson (IA, ‘26)
Olivia Song (CV, ‘28)
Jackson Tran (IA, ‘27)
Audrey Yoon (IM, ‘26)
Lauren Young (VA, ‘26)

OCSA High School Science Olympiad, led by Olympiad Coach and Chemistry Instructor Heather Jonson, competed in the High School Regional Science Bowl competition at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in March 2025. They were one of eight teams to advance to the double elimination round. This was the team’s second year in a row of advancing. Just like in the previous year, Science Olympiad placed fifth out of 20 teams. The team also placed Third at the Orange County Science Olympiad Regional Championships at University of California, Irvine in February. They then went on to place Sixth at the State Competition at CalTech in April. The team earned medals in ten events. Listed below are the students who competed in the respective events:

High School Regional Science Bowl at JPL
Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25)
Elena Huang (CV, ‘28)
Henry Kim (IM, ‘27)
Aryan Sharma (CW, ‘27)
Olivia Song (CV, ‘28)

Orange County Science Olympiad Regionals at UCI
Protium team
Dane Bergman (IA, ‘25)
Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25)
Henry Courtney (CV, ‘26)
Armaan Diwan (IM, ‘27)
Juneau Foxlin (IM, ‘26)
Ally Halid (IA, ‘26)
Natalie Hoffman (CW, ‘25)
Mary Hong (PD, ‘26)
Elena Huang (CV, ‘28)
Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
Hennah Kim (CW, ‘25)
Lila Olson (IA, ‘26)
Olivia Song (CV, ‘28)
Jackson Tran (IA, ‘27)
Emma Rose Williams (CMD, ‘26)
Lauren Young (VA, ‘26)

Deuterium team
Hannah Hu (IM, ‘28)
Leah Huang (VA, ‘26)
Reyna Jeon (VA, ‘28)
Arabella Kim (BCD, ‘27)
Henry Kim (IM, ‘27)
Shinbi Lee (CW, ‘28)
Sarina Marzbani (CW, ‘27)
Evan Matsuda (CAH, ‘26)
Addy Ngo (CW, ‘27)
Angelyn Pratana (VA, ‘28)
Aryan Sharma (CW, ‘27)
Audrey Yoon (IM, ‘26)
Cynthia Zhou (CAH, ‘26)

The OCSA Green Technology Club participated in the national Plant The Moon Challenge hosted by NASA and won the Grand Prize in the High School Division. As a result, they were given a fully funded tour of the NASA Symposium in the summer. Below is a list of club members who took part in the challenge:

Isaac Chun (IM, ‘25)
Andrew Jung (DM, ‘26)
Ryan Jung (CW, ‘26) - Club President
Henry Kim (IM, ‘27)
Aryan Sharma (CW, ‘27)

The OCSA Green Technology Club participated in the national Plant The Moon Challenge hosted by NASA and won the Grand Prize in the High School Division. As a result, they were given a fully funded tour of the NASA Symposium in the summer. Below is a list of club members who took part in the challenge:

Isaac Chun (IM, ‘25)
Andrew Jung (DM, ‘26)
Ryan Jung (CW, ‘26) - Club President
Henry Kim (IM, ‘27)
Aryan Sharma (CW, ‘27)

Jesse Huang (IM, ‘29) and Jerry Huang (IM, ‘29) received First Place in the 2025 American Protege Piano and Strings Competition for their viola duet. They followed up their win with a performance at Carnegie Hall in May 2025.

Gabrielle Gillen (IM, ‘19) released her album “Beginnings of Love,” which can be streamed on Spotify and YouTube. “Beginnings of Love,” featured multiple OCSA students and alumni. Below is a list of the artists and their contributions:

Samuel Chung (IM, ‘25) - Saxophone
Nicholas Doan (IM, ‘24) - Bass Guitar, Double Bass
Pedro Fregoso (IM, ‘27) - Trumpet
Grace Gillen (IM, ‘19) - Vocals
Allie Molin (IM, ‘25) - Trumpet
Darren Qiu (IM, ‘24) - Saxophone
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) - Piano

Listed below are OCSA students who received honors in the The Music Center’s 2025 Spotlight Awards. Spotlight is a nationally recognized competition, scholarship, and artistic development program for Southern California high school students.

Finalist
Madison Becerra (CV, ‘25) - Classical Voice

Honorable Mention
Samuel Chung (IM, ‘25) - Contemporary Instrumental

Semifinalists
Emmet Althoen (IM, ‘28) - Contemporary Instrumental
Isabella Betancourt (PM, ‘25) - Non-Classical Voice
Kameron Couch (CMD, ‘25) - Dance
Ashwin Desai (PM, ‘26) - Contemporary Instrumental
Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25) - Non-Classical Voice
Brendan Knox (MT, ‘25) - Non-Classical Voice
Logan Macy (CMD, ‘27) - Dance
Lexie Shehab (PM, ‘27) - Non-Classical Voice
Kenny Song (IM, ‘27) - Classical Instrumental
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25) - Acting
Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘25) - Non-Classical Voice
Lavinia Watkins (CV, ‘26) - Classical Voice
Eunseo “Rachel” Won (IM, ‘26) - Classical Instrumental

Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) were featured on KTLA’s School Spirit Spotlight segment, which highlights the culture and spirit of Southern California high schools. MONTAGE!, Leadership, the Ambassador Jazz Orchestra, Ballroom Dance, and Commercial Dance were represented in three different segments. View each video here:
MONTAGE! and Leadership: https://bit.ly/457mAz3
Ambassador Jazz Orchestra: https://bit.ly/43Dymi0
Ballroom Dance and Commercial Dance: https://bit.ly/442Vvfk

West Mulholland (ACT, ‘23) was featured in an IRK Magazine article that highlighted his background and current status as a student at Stanford University. The article also speaks to his career as an actor and how he views the artistry of his work. Read the article here: https://bit.ly/4kvjQAk

Amber Bach (CV, ‘26) and Henry Courtney (CV, ‘26), along with Classical Voice Conservatory Director Dr. Ryan Reithmeier and Classical Voice Instructor Alyssa Wills, sang together for SMHeart Music’s single “The Princess of Please.” This piece is an early education, skill-building sing-a-long. The recording can be found on Spotify and all streaming platforms. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3SAj3ll or https://bit.ly/4mUn7ee

Lana Lee (IA, ‘26) was featured in an Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) Newsroom article for her efforts in aiding Los Angeles fire victims. Lana took to social media and rallied her community to collect face masks to help protect Angelinos from the hazardous air quality. In only two days, the drive collected over 10,000 masks for the community. Lana delivered the masks to three emergency shelters in Los Angeles and to California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley, OCSA’s sister school. Read more here: https://bit.ly/4kD7VAr

The following students were nominated for the YoungArts 2025 US Presidential Scholar in the Arts award, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students who exemplify artistic and academic excellence. A total of 60 candidates were nominated across 22 states and 10 artistic disciplines. The 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts will be announced in the coming months.

Ariana Kim (IM, ‘25) - Classical Music
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25) - Design
Olivia Le (CW, ‘25) - Writing
Victoria Pham (DM, ‘25) - Film

Eleven Literature & Composition students in grades 7 and 8, under Teacher Amy Gallagher, received awards in the “Why Mom Deserves a Diamond” writing contest, winning gemstones for their mothers from the Gallery of Diamonds Jewelers in Santa Ana. These students read their winning entries and presented their mothers with the gemstones in February 2025. Congratulations to the following students:

Anderson Ahn (VA, ‘30)
Tatum Coyte (CMD, ‘30)
Jonah Gonzales (IA, ‘29)
Lina Han (CV, ‘29)
Miriam Hogan (BCD, ‘29)
Olivia Kang (IM, ‘30)
Angela Li (BCD, ‘30)
Lili Ling (PD, ‘30)
Savannah Mosley (MT, ‘30)
Danna Park (PD, ‘29)
Ellie Park (IA, ‘29)

OCSA’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) Chapter won multiple awards in January 2025 at the Southern California DECA Career Development Conference in Costa Mesa. Categories were divided into Exam, Role Play, and Overall (combination of Exam and Role Play) Awards.

Principles of Business Management & Administration (Role Play)
Isabella Silva (IA, ‘26) - Third Place

Principles of Business Management & Administration (Overall)
Sebastian Lopez (IM, ‘25) - Finalist
Isabella Silva (IA, ‘26) - Finalist

Principles of Entrepreneurship (Exam)
Ashwin Desai (PM, ‘26) - First Place

Principles of Entrepreneurship (Overall)
Ashwin Desai (PM, ‘26) - Second Place
Luisa Gomez-Linnert (AE, ‘26) - Third Place

Principles of Finance (Exam)
Rohan Soni (PM, ‘26) - First Place

Principles of Finance (Overall)
Paige Hines (CW, ‘26) - Finalist
Rohan Soni (PM, ‘26) - Second Place

Principles of Hospitality and Tourism (Exam)
Stella Mulholland (CAH, ‘26) - First Place

Principles of Hospitality and Tourism (Role Play)
Stella Mulholland (CAH, ‘26) - Third Place
Madeline Tran (CW, ‘25) - First Place

Principles of Hospitality and Tourism (Overall)
Presley Herthel (BR, ‘26) - Finalist
Isaac Margolis (CW, ‘26) - Third Place
Stella Mulholland (CAH, ‘26) - First Place
Ashima Sharma (CW, ‘25) - Finalist
Madeline Tran (CW, ‘25) - Second Place

Principles of Marketing (Overall)
Isabella Machado (CMD, ‘25) - Finalist
Talia Rosenblatt (AE, ‘26) - Finalist

Sonali Dhanidina (IA, ‘25) and Emily Wen (VA, ‘26) organized holiday donation drives with California State University, Fullerton and the National Honors Society (NHS) for the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). They have successfully collected over 700 toys over the past two years. Sonali founded and runs CHOCARTS, which aims to bring awareness and hope to CHOC patients through the arts and creativity of OCSA student performances, volunteer engagements, and donations. Emily runs the Future Health Professionals and Pre-Med Club, which is dedicated to providing opportunities for students interested in health-related careers. This club also aims to support young patients.

Helena Donato-Sapp (CW, ‘27) was awarded Runner Up for the 2025 Urban Word Western Regional Youth Poet Laureate position. The Western Region Youth Poet Laureate represents California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Helena is one of only 12 youth poet laureates in the entire nation to be honored. On top of this, Helena was also featured in a photo essay in ZEIT Magazin, Germany’s largest weekly newspaper. The essay, “City of the Undaunted,” identified ten individuals (artists, writers, musicians, historians, etc.) who sustain the vibrant culture of Los Angeles – residents who demonstrate the resiliency of the city in light of the devastation of the recent historic fires. Helena was invited to represent L.A.’s young writers’ community.

Rebecca Yang (CW, ‘27), President of the Read to Respond Club, led multiple students in a volunteer event at Mary’s Kitchen, a local food kitchen. This service event was inspired by the short story “Those Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, which highlights children’s hunger. In addition to discussing the story, club members helped organize shelves, sort produce, and store items at Mary’s Kitchen. Listed below are the Read to Respond student volunteers in the group photo:

Sissi Chen (VA, ‘27)
Miae Chun (CW, ‘28)
Lindsay Nguyen (IM, ‘27)
Joshua Noh (CW, ‘28)
Xander Shah (IM, ‘28)
Audrey Shih (CW, ‘27)
Chloe Yang (CW, ‘27)
Rebecca Yang (CW, ‘27)

Read more about Rebecca’s Read to Respond story here: https://bit.ly/45gv1rX

Anika Braganza (MT, ‘16) starred in “Tarantino: Pulp Rock,” a live show that brought Quentin Tarantino’s cinematic universe and legendary soundtracks to the CineVita in Los Angeles.

Amari McCoy (ACT, ‘29) was cast to voice Teeny in the animated series “Goldie,” released in February 2025 on Apple TV. “Goldie,” is about a giant kid who navigates life in a town of “average-sized” people. Amari also performed the role of Raynell Maxon in “Fences” at the Laguna Playhouse in May 2025. This Pulitzer-Prize winning play sees one man struggle with disappointment and the effect it has on his marriage and relationship with his sons.

Jonathan Formica (FTV, ‘08) produced two episodes of the docuseries “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” which premiered on Peacock in January 2025. Jonathan also produced “What’s Next: The Future With Bill Gates” and co-produced the documentary feature “Hack Your Health: The Secrets Of Your Gut,” both of which are streaming on Netflix.

Emily Yi (VA, ‘26), president of the Art in Hearts club, and her fellow leaders Jennifer Choi (VA, ‘26), Chloe Kim (VA, ‘27), Lyndsey Kim (VA, ‘30), Ziah Kim (VA, ‘27), Maiya Leung (DM, ‘26), Kaia Wang (IA, ‘27), and Sol Yoon (VA, ‘27), donated over 30 pairs of hand-painted shoes to the children living at the Orange County Rescue Mission. This was made possible by the profits they earned from this year's Visual Arts Conservatory Winter Market in December.

Cyrus Talesh (PD, ‘28) ran in the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship in December 2024. Traveling to Indiana for the event, Cyrus finished 16th in the Age 15-16 Division (3.1 miles) – awarding him the All-American Award for performing above standard in his age group.

Isabella Sun (BR, ‘30) was named First Prize Winner in the Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition. Specializing in piano, Isabella was chosen to perform with a group of other winners at the Sheldonian Theatre at the University of Oxford.

Dylin Rodrigo (MT, ‘28) helped emcee for Pacific Symphony’s Halloween Fandemonium, a family musical morning concert. Dylin shared the Segerstrom Concert Hall stage with conductor Dr. Jake Sustaita, puppeteer Victor Yerrid, Leopold the Musical Leopard, and the Pacific Symphony Orchestra to help bring iconic fandom music to life in a fun and educational way.

Shining Chen (CW, ‘26), Yaphet Chen (ACT, ‘28), Taven Rong (IM, ‘28), Paul Seo (DM, ‘26), and *Rohan Soni (PM, ‘26), also known as Team 11211X, competed at the Downey VEX Robotics Tournament where they were crowned tournament champions. They were also awarded the Design Award, which honors the team that best documented and explained their engineering design process via an engineering notebook and team interview. As a result, they were invited to compete at the California Robotics State Championship in March 2025.
*not pictured in photograph

OCSA’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) Chapter, launched by the Arts & Enterprise Conservatory Ally Bushman and led by advisor Mira Smeltzer, flew out three officers – Luisa Gomez-Linnert (AE, ‘26), Sophia Hashim (PM, ‘25), and Talia Rosenblatt (AE, ‘26) – to Bellevue, Washington to participate in DECA’s Western Regional Leadership Conference. Students had the opportunity to engage in numerous expositions, certification exams, and mock interviews, where they developed skills in areas of leadership, entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality, and project management. They also took part in the Principles of Entrepreneurship role play, in which Sophia received a medal for her excellence and high score in the competition.

Lana Lee (IA, ‘26) and Devin Weaver (ACT, ‘26) successfully wrapped up their third year of Find Your Light OC, their nonprofit musical theatre camp. With the help of their fellow OCSA students – Nathan Han (MT, ‘26), Anais Legras (IA, ’28), Jacqueline Nguyen (IA, ‘28), and Mackenzie Vallejo (IA, ‘26) – and their partners at the Boys and Girls Club of Tustin and the OC Rescue Mission, the camp welcomed 80 students this year. Find Your Light OC was founded by Lana and Mia Geiss (MT, ‘24) in 2022. The student-led organization focuses on bridging the socioeconomic gap in performing arts education by offering free, weeklong musical theatre camps to kids in underserved communities, while addressing mental health and building self-confidence. Their commitment to the performing arts and dedication to their community were recognized by Senator Tom Umberg.

Ana Gomez Garza (MT, ‘25) represented Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) at California Girls State – American Legion Auxiliary’s leadership program. This program builds awareness and knowledge of governmental processes while teaching about the duties, privileges, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship. Ana had the honor of portraying Chief Supreme Court Justice and was chosen to be one of two Senators to represent California at Girls Nation. The program sent Ana to Washington D.C., where she was able to watch a Senate Session on Capitol Hill and attend a private event that Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at.

Claire Lin (VA, ‘29) and Vera So (VA, ‘29) were each awarded the High Merit Award in the national Celebrating Art Contest and Competition for their artworks “Portrait Red” and “Summer Afternoon,” respectively. The High Merit Award is given to artwork that ranked in the top 5% of all submissions received from across the country.

West Mulholland (ACT, ‘23) attended the Toronto International Film Festival alongside director Steven Soderbergh and co-stars Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, and Callina Liang to promote the international debut of their film “Presence.” The movie was acquired by production company Neon and will premiere domestically in January 2025.

Justin Hong (IM, ‘25), Peyton Hsu (AE, ‘27), and Alex Hwang (IM, ‘27) competed at the 16th Annual Chula Vista Robotics Tournament, where they won the Amaze Award for their consistently high-performing and competitive robot. Their team was also a finalist in the tournament and has been invited to compete at the US Open Robotics Tournament in 2025.