STATE OF THE ART

The following students performed in a Braver Players Musical Theater Foundation production of "Spring Awakening."

Sadie Braverman (ACT, ‘23)
Mya Gonzales (ACT, ‘23)
Collin Heinrich (ACT, ‘23)
Zach Hoffman (ACT, ‘22)
Lauren Williams (ACT, ‘22)

Reese Gonzales (ACT, ‘19) was cast as Dante Quintana in the film adaptation of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe." To read more about the film, please visit: https://bit.ly/3mlcrYH

John Walcutt, Director of The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory, recently performed his one-man show, "The Mythology of Me," at the Margaret A. Webb Theatre.

Maya Bleszinski (MT, ‘23) music directed and Kyle Stafford (ACT, ‘23) staged and directed Act One Project’s production of "Ghost Quartet." Act One Project is a student-run theatre company founded by Kyle.

Logan Langevin (ACT, ‘23) was cast in Nickelodeon’s hit sitcom "Side Hustle."

Aryan Simhadri (ACT, ‘24) received a Young Artist Award for Best Teen Actor in a Streaming Film for his role in "The Main Event."

The following students were recognized as 2022 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements. All YoungArts award winners at all levels receive cash prizes between $100 and $10,000. All YoungArts Finalists were also invited to participate in National YoungArts Week+, which features virtual classes and performances, workshops, mentorship opportunities, and an exhibition for the public.

Finalists:
Emmy Cheung (CMD, ‘22) – Dance (Modern/Contemporary)
Ethan Chu (FTV, ‘21) – Film
Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22) – Film
Chaewon Kim (CW, ‘23) – Design Arts
Lauren Mei (ACT, ‘23) – Theater
Kailyn Yi (CMD, ‘22) – Dance (Modern/Contemporary)

Honorable Mentions:
Andy Choi (CW, ‘22) – Writing (Play or Script)
Johann Ren Collantes (FTV, ‘21) – Film
Amy Jong (IM, ‘24) – Classical Music (Violoncello)
Wyatt Layton (CW, ‘23) – Writing (Creative Nonfiction)

Merit:
Heather Kim (IM, ‘24) – Classical Music (Flute)
Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21) – Voice (Classical)
Mia Lopez (BF, ‘23) – Dance (World Dance Forms: Mexican Folkloric)
London San Luis (DM, ‘23) – Visual Arts
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23) – Writing (Creative Nonfiction)
Aidan Meixner (MT, ‘22) – Voice (Singer-Songwriter)
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22) – Voice (Popular: Pop)
Jocelyn Wang (PM, ‘23) – Voice (Singer-Songwriter)
Sein Yun (IM, ‘22) – Classical Music (Violin)
Helaine Zhao (IM, ‘24) – Classical Music (Piano)

In addition, Emmy Cheung (CMD, ‘22) and Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22) attended National YoungArts Week+ as 2022 YoungArts Winners and were nominated to be named 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts in Dance (Modern/Contemporary) and Film respectively. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will ultimately choose 20 of the 60 nominees to be recognized for their academic and artistic accomplishments, leadership, community outreach, and overall creativity.

Sophia Madrigal (ACT, ‘22) was honored with an inaugural Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) Gold Award Scholarship. Sophia was selected for demonstrating extraordinary leadership while driving lasting change in her community and beyond through her nonprofit organization, Luke Madrigal Indigenous Storytelling, which focuses on the healing art of Indigenous storytelling. Through her project, Sophia led workshops and also wrote, directed, and performed in the play "Wildflower: Indigenous Spirit." To read more about Sophia’s project, please visit: https://bit.ly/3IA2Aqk

Lana Sawalha, an OCSA history teacher, was offered the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Fellowship in Scott, KS. The fellowship is awarded annually to educators who have distinguished themselves in teaching understanding and respect through project-based learning.

Orange County School of the Arts was featured in an article by KTLA about our recent Niche ranking as the #1 Best Charter High School in California for the third year in a row, as well as the #6 Best Charter High School in America for 2022. To read the full article, please visit: https://bit.ly/3Iy3N1k

Mya Gonzales (ACT, ‘23) was cast alongside award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix in the film "C’mon, C’mon" from A24.

Jacki Vellandi (ACT, ‘22) co-produced and released ten of her original songs, which feature piano, guitar, and ukulele, under the name JackiLove.

Elective and Conservatory Instructor Cameron Shim received his Level 1 Teaching Certification for Aerial Silks from Aerial Physique.

The OCSA Science Olympiad High School Team (Division C) competed in the BirdSO Mini Science Olympiad competition and placed 8th out of 160 teams. They also competed in the National Invitational Science Olympiad Satellite competition where they placed 21st out of 236 teams. The students received the following awards:


BirdSO Mini Science Olympiad Competition:

5th place:
Codebusters: Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25), Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22), and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23)

8th place:
Write it CAD it: Katherine Given (ACT, ‘24) and Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22)
Fermi Questions: Tane Kim (IM, ‘24) and Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)

9th place:
Detector Building: Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24)

Other Competitors:
Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24), Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22), Kacy Chung (VA, ‘23), Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23), Shayna Kaplan (IM, ‘23), Grant Li (CW, ‘23), Amy Lee (IM, ‘23), Sarah Parigela (IM, ‘23), Kei Shimabukuro (IM, ‘24), Em Wei-Ten (PM, ‘23), Jiin Yun (IM, ‘24), and Audrey Zhang (IM,‘24)

National Invitational Science Olympiad Satellite Competition:

3rd place:
Write it CAD It: Katherine Given (ACT, ‘24) and Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22)

4th place:
Cybersecurity: Grant Li (CW, ‘23) and Sarah Parigela (IM, ‘23)

6th place:
Botany: Shayna Kaplan (IM, ‘23) and Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)

8th place:
It’s About Time: Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24)

11th place:
Ornithology: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23)

12th place:
Bioinformatics: Em Wei-Ten (PM, ‘23) and Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)

13th place:
Digital Structures: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24) and Kei Shimabukuro (IM, ‘24)
Codebusters: Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25), Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22), and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23)

18th place:
Anatomy and Physiology: Sarah Parigela (IM, ‘23) and Audrey Zhang (IM, ‘24)
Astronomy: Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25) and Katherine Given (ACT, ‘24)
Disease Detectives: Tane Kim (IM, ‘24) and Jiin Yun (IM, ‘24)

21st place:
Green Generation: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Jiin Yun (IM, ‘24)

Other Competitors:
Kacy Chung (VA, ‘23), Caleb Empig (IMP, ‘23), and Amy Lee (IM, ‘23)

The following students were recognized as semifinalists in The Music Center’s 33rd Annual Spotlight Program. Spotlight is a nationally acclaimed arts training and scholarship program for teens that awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually. Semifinalists have the opportunity to attend a special master class in their discipline with highly regarded artists who share their expertise on performance technique, training, and professional life. Each semifinalist will virtually audition once more, and the top two finalist performers in each category will be selected for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists.

Classical Semifinalists:
Leo Sui (IM, ‘23)

Jazz Semifinalists:
Max Gilbert (IM, ‘22)
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24)

Acting Semifinalists:
Grace Wilcox (ACT, ‘22)
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, '25)
Landon Wouters (MT, ‘22)
Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25)

Congratulations to the following students for their success in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These students received Honorable Mention Regional-at-Large awards.

Anika Biswas (CW, ‘23) Short Story, "Einkornicales: Lost Letters"
Kaitlyn Byer (CW, ‘25): Poetry, "The Crow's Lover"
Jaeung Cha (VA, ‘25): Fashion, “Design by Quinn”, “Dual Identity”
Ruth Chen (CW, ‘25): Critical Essay, “The Ethical Dilemma of True Crime as Entertainment”; Drawing & Illustration, "Hope"; Flash Fiction, "Murder"; Poetry, "Wide World"; Short Story, "Lost and Gone"
Ryan Choi (ACT, ‘24): Drawing & Illustration, “Toyna Character Concept Design”; Sculpture, “Mythical Creature Game Pieces for Creativity Board Game”
David Du (FTV, ‘24): Film & Animation, "Incent City"
Isabella Ho (CW, ‘22): Flash Fiction, "Little Lanterns"; Humor, "A Pretzel Hazard"
Faith Hochgesang (IA, ‘23): Flash Fiction, "Cries of the Maasai"; Poetry, "Rapture"
Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘24): Personal Essay & Memoir, "Pots Burn, Seams Burst"
Lyn Huang (CW, ‘24): Novel Writing, "Someday In A Room With A Seaside View"
Sally Jang (CW, ‘23): Dramatic Script, "Dear Lauren"
Ryan Jeong (P&D, ‘23): Journalism, "Scholastic Competition: Conservatives vs. Media: A Thinning Ice"
Antara Kalle (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Balcony Boats"
Griffin Kelleher (CW, ‘23): Science Fiction & Fantasy, "The Auxer"
Amber Khauv (CW, ‘24): Science Fiction & Fantasy, "Don't Lie to Me"
Annabelle Kim (CW, ‘24): Personal Essay & Memoir, "Familiarity in the Unknown, Is it truly fortunate?"; Poetry, "Words passed from her to me"
Emily Kim (CW, ‘24): Personal Essay & Memoir, "A Daily Reminder"
Seo Yun Kang (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Part of Me”
Chaewon Kim (CW, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, “You’re getting old”
Kate Kim (CW, ‘25): Poetry, "A Plate of Gochu"

Sarah Anderson (MT, ‘22), Zach Hoffman (ACT, ‘22), and Lauren Williams (ACT, ‘22) were cast and performed in "Les Miserables" with Braver Players Musical Theater Foundation as Cosette, Jean Valjean, and Fantine respectively.

Congratulations to OCSA’s Mock Trial Team, faculty advisor Whitney Coates, and volunteer coaches Justice Halim Dhanidina, Melissa Brandman, J.D, and Ethan Feng, J.D. for advancing to the Orange County finals for the first time and receiving second place after competing against rigorous competition. OCSA’s Gold team advanced to the top eight for only the second time in the program’s history. The following students competed as members of the team.

Sophia Abiera (ACT, ‘24)
Sruthi Alle (CV, ‘22)
Zabethah Bagnol (PD, ‘24)
Charlotte Brandman (MT, ‘23)
Sarah Demeter (CW, ‘25)
Sammy Dorfman (IA, ‘24)
V Garcia (ACT, ‘25)
Mona George (CV, ‘25)
Ethan Gray (ACT, ‘22)
Kennedy Harrison (PD, ‘25)
Sasha Herthel (ACT, ‘23)
Joshua Hizon (MT, ‘23)
Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘23)
Toby Izenberg (CW, ‘23)
Milo Karnes (IA, ‘24)
Claire Karr (VA, ‘23)
Emma Kay (ACT, ‘23)
Annabelle Kim (CW, ‘23)
Ariana Kim (IM, ‘25)
Caitlin Kim (ACT, ‘25)
Emily Kim (CW, ‘24)
Fanny Kim (IA, ‘24)
Isabella Kim (ACT, ‘25)
Haley Kleinman (IA, ‘24)
Elaine Lim (FTV, ‘25)
Diego Linn (BR, ‘25)
Samantha Liu (IM, ‘23)
Regan Mading (IA, ‘23)
Katia Miyamoto (CW, ‘24)
Lucy Moriyama (ACT, ‘23)
Daisy Noh (IA, ‘22)
Kendall Phanco (VA, ‘23)
Colin Root (ACT, ‘22)
Ashima Sharma (CW, ‘25)
Cat Silva-Oliveira (IA, ‘24)
Ciara Tadeo (IA, ‘25)
Josie Wang (PM, ‘23)
Sophia Wilhelm (VA, ‘23)
Lacole Yang (CW, ‘24)

Clara Choi (CMD, ‘25) and Sophia Madrigal (ACT, ‘22) were featured in the “Bravo!” section of the "Orange County Register," which celebrates the achievements of Orange County locals. Clara won second place in the Broadcom MASTERS awards for her project, “EEG Study of Virtual Learning Demonstrates Worsened Learning Outcomes and Higher Mirror Neuron Activation,” and Sophia earned a national Gold Award Scholarship from the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

The OCSA Robotics Team qualified for the 2022 Southern California VRC High School State Championship held at Damien High School, where they will compete for a chance to go to the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas.

The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 9th Annual Artist of the Year Awards. This program highlights talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts. Each of these students has proven their abilities in their areas of expertise.

Film and Animation:

Animation and Visual Effects
Romeo Martin (DM, ‘22)

Cinematography
Justin Shin (FTV, ‘22)

Directing and Editing
Maggie Ding (FTV, ‘22)
Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22)
Anirudh Vadhri Kota (FTV, ‘22)
Alexis Ai Macdonald (FTV, ‘22)
Nona Nishigawara (FTV, ‘22)
Michael McDonald (IA, ‘22)

Handcrafted Visual Arts:

Hand Drawing and Painting
Grace Jo (VA, ‘22)
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23)
London San Luis (DM, ‘23)
Xiaowei (Sophia) Wang (VA, ‘22)

Mixed Media
Joyce Yuruo Hong (VA, ‘22)
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22)

Instrumental Music:

Piano and Strings
Xingyao Li (IM, ‘22)
Sarah Parigela (IM, ‘23)
Sein Yun (IM, ‘22)
Hannah Zhao (IM, ‘22)

The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 9th Annual Artist of the Year Awards. This program highlights talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts. Each of these students has proven their abilities in their areas of expertise.

Theater:

Acting
Scott Becker (ACT, ‘22)
Carlos Jimenez (ACT, ‘22)
Sophia Madrigal (ACT, ‘22)
Lauren Mei (ACT, ‘23)

Musical Theater Performance
Kenneth Takeshita (MT, ‘22)
Brooklyn Vizcarra (MT, ‘22)

Vocal Music:

Classical Voice
Mia Paris Baron (CV, ‘23)
Alexander Jeon (CV, ‘23)
Evan Richards (CV, ‘22)

Commercial Voice
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22)

The following faculty members received 2022 Artist Teacher Fellowship Award grants in the amount of $2,500 each. These individuals were selected based on the strength and potential of their proposals, their commitment to achieving their artistic and scholastic endeavors, as well as their passion for bringing new ideas, practices, energy, and creativity into their classrooms. To read more about each project, please visit: https://conta.cc/3HHnKlb

Mike Bradecich, Creative Writing & Integrated Arts Conservatory Instructor
Stephanie Dorian, El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory Assistant Director
Ryan Reithmeier, D.M.A., Classical Voice Conservatory Director
Dawn Nguyen Spranger, Creative Writing & Integrated Arts Conservatory Instructor

The OCSA High School Science Olympiad Team competed in the BirdSO Invitational competition against 236 teams across the nation.

The team earned the following awards:
Fourth Place
Gravity Vehicle: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24) and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23)

Sixth Place
Detector Building: Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24)
Eighth Place
Machine Learning: Grant Li (CW, ‘23) and Em Wei-Ten (PM, ‘23)
Ninth Place
Ornithology: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23)

Alyssa Kardos (ACT, ‘17) has continued her work in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as an English Teaching Assistant through the U.S. Department of State's prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program. She is using acting exercises at her public school to support English learning and engage in cultural exchange. Alyssa also started a community project titled "Re-Made in Cambodia" which promotes the work of young Cambodian fashion designers, musicians, dancers, and poets.

A photo of Hannah Franklin (ACT, ‘19) was selected to be displayed in the lobby of the Ahmanson Theater at The Music Center in Los Angeles. The photo is from Hannah’s winning performance in the 2018 National August Wilson Monologue Competition.

The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, and semifinalists for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Awards, and OCSA had five winners out of seven arts categories this year! The Artist of the Year program honors talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts.

Artist of the Year Winners:
Joyce Yuruo Hong (VA, ‘22) - Handcrafted Visual Arts
Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22) - Film and Animation
Lauren Mei (ACT, ‘23) - Acting
Danielle Silver (CMD, ‘22) - Dance
Landon Wouters (MT, ‘22) - Vocal Music

The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, and semifinalists for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Awards, and OCSA had five winners out of seven arts categories this year! The Artist of the Year program honors talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts.

Finalists:
Computer-Assisted Visual Arts:
Computer Drawing and Painting
Juliana Jarvis (DM, ‘22)

Handcrafted Visual Arts:
Hand Drawing and Painting
Grace Jo (VA, ‘22)

Mixed Media
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22)

Dance:
World/Cultural Dance
Mia Amaris Lopez (BF, ‘23)

Theater:
Acting
Sophia Madrigal (ACT, ‘22)

Musical Theater Performance
Brooklyn Vizcarra (MT, ‘22)

Vocal Music:
Classical Voice
Evan Richards (CV, ‘22)

Semifinalists:
Computer-Assisted Visual Arts:

Computer Drawing and Painting
Elise Maniquis-Dormitorio (DM, ‘22)
Hannah Miller (DM, ‘22)

Graphic Design and Digital Illustration
Josh Nguyen (FTV, ‘22)

Photography (Film and Digital)
Soren Almeida (FTV, ‘22)

Lauren Mei (ACT, ‘23) was named a Grand Prize Finalist in The Music Center’s 34th Annual Spotlight Program out of more than 1,500 applicants. Spotlight is a nationally acclaimed arts training and scholarship program for teens that awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually. She was selected among only 14 Grand Prize Finalists who will perform in a virtual grand finale event and receive a $5,000 scholarship.

Jacqueline Vellandi (ACT, ‘22) won the California Young Playwrights contest for her play “Reverie,” which was selected to be featured in the Young Writers Festival in May. To read more about her work, please visit: https://bit.ly/3OXUHPu

The following students participated in the Pacific Symphony’s 2022 Opera Focus High School Vocal Competition and received the following awards:

First place: Mia Baron (CV, ‘23)
Second place: Lauren Kimball (VA, ‘24) and Estella Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
Third place: Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)
Special Merit: Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24)
Honorable Mention: Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25), Mona George (CV, ‘25), and Aashna Rana (CV, ‘23)

The following students participated in the California State Thespian Festival and received the following awards:

Gai Jones Senior Honor Thespian Scholarship:
Ethan Gray (ACT, ‘22)

Thespy Award Winners:

Solo Musical
First place: Brooklyn Vizcarra (MT, ‘22)

Duet Musical
First place: Meghan Barton (MT, ‘23) and Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23)

Solo Monologue
Second place: Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25)

Top Scoring (Thespy Superior):

Solo Musical
Meghan Barton (MT, ‘23)
Samantha Divis (MT, ‘25)
Mia Geise (MT, ‘24)
Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23)
Daniel Grossgold (IA, ‘24)
Chloe Ness (MT, ‘24)
Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘25)
Brooklyn Vizcarra (MT, ‘24)
Landon Wouters (MT, ‘22)

Duet Musical
Meghan Barton (MT, ‘23)
Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23)
Brooklyn Vizcarra (MT, ‘24)
Landon Wouters (MT, ‘22)

Solo Monologue
Isabella Lloyd (IA, ‘25)
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25)

Director of The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory John Walcutt and Visual Arts Instructor Kathleen Fochtman-Gambs were nominated for the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators (OCMAA) Awards in recognition of their dedication to quality, equity, and access to arts programs for all students.

Aryan Simhadri (ACT) was cast in the lead role of Grover in “Percy Jackson & the Olympians,” coming soon to Disney+.

Alyssa Abiera (ACT, ‘26) was cast in the television series “Roar,” now available on Apple TV.

Zach Hoffman (ACT, ‘22) and Sadie Braverman (ACT, ‘23) performed as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett respectively in Braver Players Theater Company’s production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”

The following OCSA students, as a part of Empowering Arts (eA), a nonprofit founded by Hannah Cho (IM ‘25), were awarded the President's Volunteer Service Gold Award. The students were recognized for their musical concerts at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and the Blind Children’s Learning Center.

Dylan Chia (IM, ‘26)
Brent Cho (ACT, ‘27)
Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25)
Isabella Cho (ACT, ‘27)
Sumin Cho (IM, ‘25)
Emma Chuang (VA, ‘25)
Mia Geise (MT, ‘24)
Andrew Fung (IM, ‘24)
Arim (Ariana) Kim (IM, ‘25)
Jennifer Kim (VA, ‘25)
Calene Lee (CW, ‘25)
Sunny Lee (IM, ‘24)
Danny O'Grady (IM, ‘24)
Jae Eun (April) Park (IM, ‘25)
Emy Pardo (MT, ‘24)
Lucy Woo (IM, ‘25)
River Zylstra (ACT, ‘27)

Delaney Laughlin (ACT, ‘25) was featured on a KTLA Morning News segment with Melissa Chataigne on back-to-school fashion. To watch the segment, please visit: https://bit.ly/3ulugtR

The following students received the National Recognition Program Award from two of the four College Board recognition programs that award academic honors to underrepresented students.This award recognizes their academic achievements and outstanding performances on the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and/or AP Exams.

National African American Recognition Award
Kayalani Degrave (MT, ‘23)
Ayanna Dowell (CMD, ‘23)
Aurelia Philmore (BD, ‘24)

National Hispanic Recognition Award
Sabrina Aguilar (DM, ‘23)
Maya Bleszinski (MT, ‘23)
Analise Delp (CW, ‘24)
Maya Ferchaw (ACT, ‘24)
Abril Garcia (CW, ‘23)
Mia Guillen (IA, ‘23)
David Llenderrozos (CW, ‘23)
Alexa Nunez Magana (MT, ‘23)
Ava Tello (ACT, ‘24)
Arianna Torres (CW, ‘23)
Candace Ramirez (VA, ‘23)
Sophia Ruiz (MT, ‘23)

Delaney Laughlin (ACT, ‘25) was selected to walk in the Edwing D’Angelo show in New York Fashion Week.

Priscilla Delgado (ACT, ‘20) was cast in the role of Esti González in the Amazon Prime Video series “A League of Their Own.”

The following students were recognized as 2023 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements. YoungArts award winners at all levels receive cash prizes between $100 and $10,000. All YoungArts Finalists are also invited to participate in National YoungArts Week where they collaborate with peers and develop their crafts with internationally recognized leaders in their fields.

Finalists:
Edward Chen (IA, ‘24) – Dance (Hip Hop)
Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) – Classical Music (Oboe)
Amy Jong (IM, ‘24) – Classical Music (Violoncello)
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25) – Design Arts
Ashley Park (CW, ‘23) – Writing (Spoken Word)
Joan Park (PM, ‘23) – Voice (Popular (Pop)

Honorable Mentions:
David Du (FTV, ‘24) – Film (Animation)
Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23) – Voice (Popular (Pop))
Olivia Le (CW, ‘25) – Writing (Spoken Word)
Amelie Muro (FTV, ‘22) – Film (Experimental)
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22) – Voice (Popular (Pop))
Jocelyn Wang (PM, ‘23) – Voice (Singer-Songwriter)

Merit:
Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23) – Classical Music (Piano)
Heather Kim (IM, ‘24) – Classical Music (Flute)
Katerina Malabarba (CW, ‘24) – Writing (Novel)
Maraia Mariselli (PM) – Voice (Singer-Songwriter)
Mehra Marzbani (ACT, ‘23) – Theater (Spoken Only)
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) – Jazz (Piano)
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22) – Voice (Jazz)
Cheungwan Wang (VA, ‘23) – Visual Arts

The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, semifinalists, and nominees for the 10th Annual Artist of the Year Awards. OCSA had two winners out of seven arts categories this year, as well as many finalists, semifinalists, and nominees! The Artist of the Year program honors talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts.

Semifinalists:

Dance

Commercial Dance
Michelle Cheng (CMD, ‘23)
Jonah Smith (CMD, ‘23)

Concert Dance
Courtney Chiu (BCD, ‘23)

Hip-Hop
Faith Aguilar (CMD, ‘23)
Edward Chen (IA, ‘24)

World/Cultural Dance
Mia Amaris Lopez (BF, ‘23)


Film and Television

Cinematography
Zen Sing Thai (FTV, ‘23)

Film Directing
Jordan Held (FTV, ‘23)

Promo/Commercial Making
Evan Padilla (FTV, ‘23)


Fine Arts

Drawing
Chelsea Lee (VA, ‘24)

Mixed Media
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23)

Painting
London San Luis (DM, ‘23)
Cheungwan (Amy) Wang (VA, ‘23)
Melody Wu (VA, ‘24)


Instrumental Music

Jazz
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) - Piano

Piano
Lucie Kim (IM, ‘24) - Piano

Winds and Percussion
Heather Kim (IM, ‘24) - Flute
Damian Paul (IM, ‘24) - Percussion


Media Arts

Digital Illustration
Ava Diaz (DM, ‘24)
Fatima Mai (VA, ‘24)

Game Art
Ethan Situ Leung (DM, ‘23)
Vicky H. Nguyen (DM, ‘23)

Motion Graphics and Animation
David Du (FTV, ‘24)


Theater

Acting
Ava DeVoe (ACT, ‘24)
Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23)

Vocal Music

Classical Voice
Mia Baron (CV, ‘23)
Lilliana Mindel (CV, ‘24)
Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘23)

Cultural and Commercial Voice
Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23)

Musical Theater Voice
Sophia Ruiz (MT, ‘23)

The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, semifinalists, and nominees for the 10th Annual Artist of the Year Awards. OCSA had two winners out of seven arts categories this year, as well as many finalists, semifinalists, and nominees! The Artist of the Year program honors talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts.

Nominees:

Dance

Commercial Dance
Michelle Cheng (CMD, ‘23)
Jonah Smith (CMD, ‘23)

Concert Dance
Courtney Chiu (BCD, ‘23)
Aarilyn Lee (CMD, ‘23)
Daniella Morales (BCD, ‘24)
Alisa Nguyen (BCD, ‘23)

Hip-Hop
Faith Aguilar (CMD, ‘23)
Edward Chen (IA, ‘24)

World/Cultural Dance
Saira Galilea Arias (BF, ‘23)
Hannah Ayala (BR, ‘23)
Jude Caguioa Camaya (BR, ‘23)
Constantin Chekardzhikov (BR, ‘23)
Mia Amaris Lopez (BF, ‘23)
Aurelia Philmore (BR, ‘24)


Film and Television

Cinematography
Owen Thomas Blum (FTV, ‘23)
Zen Sing Thai (FTV, ‘23)

Film Directing
Dominic Gonzalez (FTV, ‘23)
Jordan Held (FTV, ‘23)

Promo/Commercial Making
Evan Padilla (FTV, ‘23)


Fine Arts

Drawing
Nina Alvarez (VA, ‘23)
Chelsea Lee (VA, ‘24)
Chili Sloop (VA, ‘24)

Mixed Media
Chloe Kim (VA, ‘23)
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23)

Painting
Luke Furca (VA, ‘24)
London San Luis (DM, ‘23)
Cheungwan (Amy) Wang (VA, ‘23)
Melody Wu (VA, ‘24)


Instrumental Music

Jazz
Megan Etzel (IM, ‘23) - Piano
Trent Horio (IM, ‘23) - Tenor saxophone
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) - Piano

Piano
Emilia Djordjevic (IM, ‘23) - Piano
Lucie Kim (IM, ‘24) - Piano

Winds and Percussion
Heather Kim (IM, ‘24) - Flute
Aidan Luu (IM, ‘23) - Alto Saxophone
Daniel Park O’Grady (IM, ‘24) - Clarinet
Damian Paul (IM, ‘24) - Percussion
Leo Sui (IM, ‘23) - Trombone

World/Cultural and Commercial Music
Savannah Tweedt (PM, ‘24) - Drum Set and Percussion


Media Arts

Digital Illustration
Ava Diaz (DM, ‘24)
Cindy (Tenna) Kuang (VA, ‘24)
Fatima Mai (VA, ‘24)
Olivia Sarno (DM, ‘23)
Mingxuan Wang (VA, ‘23)

Game Art
Rachel Kondo (DM, ‘24)
Ethan Situ Leung (DM, ‘23)
Vicky H. Nguyen (DM, ‘23)

Motion Graphics and Animation
David Du (FTV, ‘24)

Photography
Candace Ramirez (VA, ‘23)


Theater

Acting
Ava DeVoe (ACT, ‘24)
Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23)
Ethan Swartz (ACT, ‘23)

Musical Theater Performance
Alexa Núñez Magaña (MT, ‘23)
Sophie Russ (MT, ‘24)


Vocal Music

Classical Voice
Mia Baron (CV, ‘23)
Grace Huynh (CV, ‘23)
Lilliana Mindel (CV, ‘24)
Sebastian Nunez (CV, ‘24)
Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘23)

Cultural and Commercial Voice
Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23)

Musical Theater Voice
Chloe Deutschman (MT, ‘24)
Clare Adelaide Murphy (IA, ‘23)
Sophia Ruiz (MT, ‘23)

Congratulations to the following students for their success in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These students received Silver Key Regional-at-Large awards.

Felix Brem (CW, ‘23): Poetry, “Failed Pigmalion”
Edward Chen (IA, ‘24): Poetry, “All in a Night’s Work”
Ruth Chen (CW, ‘25): Flash Fiction, “Dance of the Butterflies”; Poetry, “Like Glass”
Isabella Cho (ACT, ‘27): Personal Essay & Memoir, “The Dress, The Stain, and The Friend”
Emilia Djordjevic (IM, ‘23): Personal Essay & Memoir, “Wet Syrup”
Jadon Han (CW, ‘25): Personal Essay & Memoir, “The Brown Line”
Ashley Hong (CW, ‘24): Personal Essay & Memoir, “Holding Hands”
Cynthia Huang (CW, ‘24): Poetry, “Colorblind”
Seoyun Kang (VA, ‘23): Mixed Media, “Perception”, “Persistence to Stay Anonymous”; Painting, “Gift: Holiday Wine Glass”
Sophia Kang (PD, ‘24): Short Story, “Alone at the Aquarium”
Bethany Kim (CW, ‘26): Science Fiction & Fantasy, “The Land At The Middle In Nowhere”
Chaewon Kim (CW, ‘23): Photography, “Pieta In Loose Threads”
Lauren (Minyoung) Kim (CW, ‘24): Digital Art, “Cement”
Leo Lai (CW, ‘24): Critical Essay, “The Fishing Industry: Catching an Environmental Issue”
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23): Art Portfolio, “Dismantling Repetition”; Mixed Media, “Torrential Era”
Amanda Lee (IM, ‘23): Personal Essay & Memoir, “Sacred”
Chelsea Lee (VA, ‘24): Drawing & Illustration, “Invasion”; Painting, “Addiction”
Julie Lim (IA, ‘23): Mixed Media, “Neo Age”
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23): Flash Fiction, “(Hello)”; Poetry, “How to Be Perfect”
Ava Park (VA, ‘25): Painting, “Submerged”; Sculpture, “Playing Chess”
London San Luis (DM, ‘23): Painting, “Adan”, “Follower of Tradition”
Ashima Sharma (CW, ‘25): Poetry, “My Grandmother’s Map”
Ashley Shin (VA, ‘25): Painting, “Nostalgia”
Sohun Shin (VA, ‘24): Painting, “Walking Chaos”
Clara Son (CW, ‘23): Poetry, “Fire Tests Gold”; “Suffering Tests a Woman”
Irene Son (VA, ‘25): Painting, “Escapism”, “Foundational Sacrifice”
Lola Suleiman (CW, ‘23): Personal Essay & Memoir, “The Countdown”
Arianna Torres (CW, ‘23): Poetry, “Loveless Ring”
Charlton Tsai (CW, ‘24): Poetry, “One Day”
Claudia Tsai (VA, ‘24): Drawing & Illustration, “Seeker”
Cheungwan Wang (VA, ‘23): Photography, “Animal Claw Machine”
Huilun Wang (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Rule of Creation”; Sculpture, “Elapsed”
Yimeng Wang (CW, ‘25): Poetry, “My Mother”
Melody Wu (VA, ‘24): Painting, “The War is Here”
Keyun Xiao (VA, ‘25): Painting, “Overflow”
Kevin Yang (VA, ‘24): Sculpture, “Reminiscences of a Bitter Tune”
Lacole Yang (CW, ‘24): Poetry, “Midst of the Fog”
Mia Yen (CW, ‘24): Flash Fiction, “It’s Brevity”
Emily Yi (VA, ‘26): Drawing & Illustration, “Blossoming Gift of Love”; Fashion, “Upcycle Coffee Sack Project: Bohemian Bliss”; Photography, “Man on the Sand”, “Manhole”
Audrey Yoo (VA, ‘24): Digital Art, “Do You Hear Something?”, “Franken-pigeon”
Lauren Young (PD, ‘26): Drawing & Illustration, “Snakes in Bloom”; Personal Essay & Memoir, “Beckoning Us Into Beauty”
Jiin Yun (CW, ‘24): Critical Essay, “The Impact of Guns on the American Education System”
Olivia Yun (VA, ‘25): Drawing & Illustration, “Embrace”; Painting, “Metamorphosis”
Margaret Zhang (DM, ‘24): Digital Art, “One in the Same”

The following students were accepted into the California Band Directors Association (CBDA) All-State Ensembles for 2023:

Junior High School Concert Band
Mason Ahn (IM, ‘28) - Bb Clarinet
Nari Chin (IM, ‘27) - Oboe
Isabella Cho (ACT, ‘27) - Flute
Chelsea Jiang (IM, ‘27) - Piccolo
Sydney Kramer (IM, ‘27) - Oboe

Junior High School Symphonic Band
Kenny Song (IM, ‘27) - Bb Clarinet


Junior High School Concert Orchestra
Ethan Choi (IM, ‘28) - Cello
Emily Lu (IM, ‘27) - Violin 1
Ho Sen Ken Xiao (IM, ‘28) - Violin 2
Evelyn Yang (IM, ‘28) - Cello

Junior High School String Orchestra
Katelyn Chang (IM, ‘28) - Violin 2
Annabelle Jin (IM, ‘27) - Viola
Brian Kim (IM, ‘28) - Viola
Heejae Kim (IM, ‘27) - Violin 1
Sophia Kim (IM, ‘27) - Violin 1
Jaynie Lee (IM, ‘27) - Violin 1
Jeremy Lee (IM, ‘28) - Cello
Gracie Park (IM, ‘28) - Viola
Chloe Woo (IM, ‘27) - Violin 2
Julian Yoon (IM, ‘28) - Violin 1

High School String Orchestra
Sumin Cho (IM, ‘25) - Viola
Kara Wong (IM, ‘24) - Viola
Audrey Yoon (IM, ‘26) - Violin 1

High School Symphony Orchestra:
Joshua Cua (IM, ‘24) - Bass
Jessica Hong (CW, ‘24) - Violin 1
Justin Hong (IM, ‘25) - Viola
Ariana Kim (IM, ‘25) - Bassoon
Heather Kim (IM, ‘24) - Flute
Jaden Kim (IM, ‘25) - Violin 2
Tane Kim (IM, ‘24) - Cello
Rubi Lee (IM, ‘25) - Violin 1
Sarah Yang (IM, ‘26) - Violin 1
Jiin Yun (CW, ‘24) - Cello

Delaney Laughlin (ACT, ‘25) was selected to participate in New York Fashion Week.

Congratulations to the following students for their success in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These students received Honorable Mention Regional-at-Large awards.

Felix Brem (CW, ‘23): Journalism, “A Cog in the Machine: SAT History & Test Optional Colleges”
Kaitlyn Byer (CW, ‘25): Personal Essay & Memoir, “How I Became Beautiful”
Ruth Chen (CW, ‘25): Flash Fiction, “Grandma’s Hands”, “Hi again”; Poetry, “Colors”; Short Story, “Golden Colors”, “The Summer Rain”
Hailey Cho (BCD, ‘25): Journalism, “Professional Actor Convicted of Robbery and Battery on a Cruise Ship”; Personal Essay & Memoir, “Hard Work Doesn't Always Pay Off?”
Jennifer Choi (VA, ‘26): Comic Art, “Into Reality”; Drawing & Illustration, “My life”
Ryan Choi (ACT, ‘24): Critical Essay, “Everything is real, and therefore, nothing is”; Personal Essay & Memoir, “Unrefined”
Justine Droullard (CW, ‘24): Painting, “Depth”, “Peek-A-Boo”; Short Story, “Rain Boots”
Run (Sarah) Han (PD, ‘27): Drawing & Illustration, “Anticipation”, “Distorted Reality”, “Eyes That Tell a Story”, “Memories”
Courtney Hines (CW, ‘24): Personal Essay & Memoir, “Inconstant Senses.”
Jenna Catherine Ho (VA, ‘26): Drawing & Illustration, “Journey”
Mankio Hong (PD, ‘26): Digital Art, “Triple Gaze”
Anna Huang (CW, ‘24): Flash Fiction, “What She Heard”
Cynthia Huang (CW, ‘24): Poetry, “Her Body is Fast Fashion”
Joy Jin (CW, ‘26): Short Story, “Popsicle Kid”
Jamie Jung (CW, ‘24): Poetry, “CODA: Child of Depressed Adult”; Short Story, “Our Body”
Sona Kamaraj (VA, ‘24): Painting, “Dyeing Dimensions”
Seoyun Kang (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Displayed”; Digital Art, “Pulse”
Estella Sky Keong (CV, ‘25): Photography, “Father of Light, The Messenger of Acropolis”
Bethany Kim (CW, ‘26): Flash Fiction, “Imaginations of Reality”
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25): Digital Art, “Automated”
Chaewon Kim (CW, ‘23): Art Portfolio, “Don’t Get Lost”; Fashion, “Jelly”; Mixed Media, “Go bird go! Power Fowlers: Can They Adapt To The Wild?”, “Home is a familiar place I’ve never been”; Painting, “Where are you, my lost babies?”
Donggyu Kim (VA, ‘24): Painting, “Autumn Waxwings”, “It Lurks in the Reef”
Frances Kim (IA, ‘24): Comic Art, “A Birthday Visit”
Gigi Kim (VA,’25): Drawing & Illustration, “Skittles”
Hennah Kim (CW, ‘25): Poetry, “A is for Anorexia”
Ina Kim (CW, ‘26): Short Story, “The Meet Up”
Jaden Kim (IM, ‘25): Critical Essay, “The Matthew Effect and How Discriminatory Economic Policies Impacted African American Communities”
Jennifer Kim (VA, ‘25): Mixed Media, “Mental’s Artificial”; Sculpture, “Through It All”

Rubi Felix Gonzalez (ACT, ‘26) played a DJ set at an Anaheim Ducks game at the Honda Center.

Daniel Zolghadri (ACT, ‘18) was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Breakthrough Performance for his starring role in the film “FUNNY PAGES.”

The following students were selected as 2023 Dragon Kim Fellows and earned $5,000 community service grants from the Dragon Kim Foundation. These students were chosen from over 300 applicants across California and Nevada and went through a rigorous interview process to earn the fellowships. Along with the project funding, these students receive three weekends of leadership training and hands-on mentorship from local business professionals.

Autistic2Artistic: Justin “JT” Freeman (PM, ‘25)
Brain Aneurysms: An Underlooked Disturbance: Ramzi Idriss (FTV, ‘26)
DearMe: Rohan Soni (PM, ‘26)
EpiSTEMic: Lyn Huang (CW, ‘24) and Xinchun Audrey Zhang (IM, ‘24)
Find Your Light: Lana Lee (IA, ‘26)
Project Insight: Taren Azizi (ACT, ‘25) and Audrey Kim (ACT, ‘25)
Somewhere In Time: Kyle Kim (FTV, ‘25) and Kaylie Viloria (PD, ‘25)
Teacher's Pet: Natalie Hoffman (CW, ‘25)
The Recycling Dictionary: Mary Hong (PD, ‘26) and Jiin Yun (CW, ‘24)
Two Step Together: Edward Chen (IA, ‘24) and Jadon Vo (CMD, ‘25)

OCSA’s Model United Nations Club attended the Trabuco Hills High School Model United Nations Conference, where delegates representing different countries participated in rigorous debate, practiced public speaking and communication skills, and wrote detailed resolution papers addressing important international topics, such as Digital Infrastructure in South East Asia and Ending Terrorist Recruitment. Students received the following awards.

Sophie Kim (ACT, ‘26): Commendation Award, Third Place, and Research Award
Kaiden Orozco (AE, ‘26): Best Delegate Award and First Place
Grace Shin (VA, ‘24): Outstanding Delegate Award and Second Place
Sophie Sukendro (IM, ‘26): Research Award
Kaylie Viloria (PD, ‘25): Best Delegate Award, First Place, and Research Award
Lavinia Watkins (CV, ‘26): Commendation Award and Third Place

Isabella Abiera (ACT, ‘28), Johnisa Almariya Breault (MT, ‘18), Arielle Dettmer (CMD, ‘20), and Adrienne Amanda Morrow (MT, ‘25) performed in McCoy/Rigby Entertainment's Production of "The King and I," at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.

Devin Weaver (ACT, ‘26) was cast in a recurring role on “9-1-1: Lone Star” on FOX.

Lauren Mei (ACT, ‘23) was honored as a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar. She was nominated for this recognition by the National YoungArts Foundation following her YoungArts award in the Theater category in 2022. The U.S. Presidential Scholars award is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students who exemplify academic excellence, leadership qualities, and community service. The award is presented on behalf of the President of the United States and honors up to 161 graduating seniors of high potential each year.

Jordan Held (FTV, ‘23), Caleb Malis (IA, ‘23), and Noah Granados (ACT, ‘23) created the short film, “Ovaryacting.” Jordan wrote, directed, produced, and acted in the film. Caleb and Noah also acted in the film. "Ovaryacting" has been selected for eight film festivals and won seven awards, including Best Writer at the SCREEN High School Film Festival, Best Writer and Best Performance for an Actor (Caleb Malis) at WESTFLIX Film Festival, and the Silver Remi Award for Student Film Production at Worldfest: Houston’s International Film Festival. In addition, "Ovaryacting" was a semifinalist at the New Optics Film Festival and an award winner at IndieFEST Film Awards. The film was also selected by the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival and 1 World Student Film Festival to be screened in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Please watch here https://youtu.be/LSeyML0J_do

The following students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation, one of the only organizations in the U.S. that supports artists across 10 disciplines at all stages of development, beginning with the critical moment when they decide to pursue a life in the arts and continuing throughout their careers. Their mission is to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential, and invest in their lifelong creative freedom.

Finalists:

Classical Music
Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) – Oboe
Amy Jong (IM, ‘24) – Violoncello

Dance
Edward Chen (IA, ‘24) – Hip-Hop

Design Art
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25)

Voice
Joan Park (PM, ‘23) – Popular

Writing
Ashley Park (CW, ‘23) – Spoken Word

Honorable Mentions:

Film
David Du (FTV, ‘24) – Documentary
Amelie Muro (FTV, ‘22) – Experimental

Voice
Ella Gibson (PM, ‘23) – Popular
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22) – Popular
Jocelyn Wang (PM, ‘23) – Singer-Songwriting

Writing
Olivia Le (CW, ‘25) – Spoken Word

The following students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation, one of the only organizations in the U.S. that supports artists across 10 disciplines at all stages of development, beginning with the critical moment when they decide to pursue a life in the arts and continuing throughout their careers. Their mission is to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential, and invest in their lifelong creative freedom.

Merit:

Classical Music
Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23) – Piano
Heather Kim (IM, ‘24) – Flute

Jazz
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) – Piano

Theater
Mehra Marzbani (ACT, ‘23) – Spoken Word

Visual Arts
Cheungwan Wang (VA, ‘23)

Voice
Maraia Mariselli (PM) – Singer-Songwriter
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22) – Jazz

Writing
Katerina Malabarba (CW, ‘24) – Novel

Yaphet Chen (ACT, ‘28) formed his own Vex IQ robotics team with other incoming OCSA seventh graders and received first place at regionals, third place for teamwork at states, second place for skills at states, and was promoted to the world championship for the event of Vex IQ 2022-2023 Slapshot.

West Mulholland (ACT, ‘23) was cast as Hunter Drake in “A Great Divide,” which stars Ken Jeong. The film explores the wave of anti-Asian racism and seeks to create empathy and hope.