STATE OF THE ART

Adrienne Dunworth (IA, '22), Lauren Kimball (VA, '24), Adela Mellon (CV, '24), and Luke Witting (IA, ‘23), as members of the Color of Sound band, performed a three-hour pop and rock setlist outdoors for the public to support and promote small businesses in Southern Orange County during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about Color of Sound, please visit http://bit.ly/3k2gOVQ

Estella Sky Keyoung (IA, '25) received first place in the Youth Musical Theatre category in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Student Evaluation Program and Competition. She participated through the Los Angeles chapter, which received a record number of 247 submissions, and was selected to participate in a virtual recital.

The OCSA Science Olympiad Division C (High School) Team competed against 70 teams from across the nation at both the Aggie Invitational, where they earned first place overall, and at the Yosemite Invitational, where they earned 10th place overall. The team also participated in the Miraloma Invitational. The students received the following awards:

Aggie Invitational:

1st Place
Circuit Lab: Nathan Tatsuta (IM, '24) and Joshua Qin (BR, '23)
Codebusters: Anjal Jain (CV, '22), Joshua Qin (BR, '23), and Jeffrey Yang (CV, '24)
Solar Power: Hannah Kang (VA, '22) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, '24)

3rd Place
Sounds of Music: Vivian Chen (IM, '23) and Erica Yang (IA, '21)
Forensics: Anjal Jain (CV, '22) and Samantha Su (VA, '21)

4th Place
Dynamic Planet: Jeffrey Yang (CV, '24) and Jiin Yun (IM, '24)
Machines: Nathan Tatsuta (IM, '24) and Joshua Qin (BR, '23)

5th Place
Designer Genes: Grant Li (CW, '23) and Sara Shimabukuro (IM, '21)

Other competitors included Sameer Bajaj (ACT, '24), Kacy Chung (VA, '23), Katherine Given (ACT, '24), Tane Kim (IM, '24), Amy Lee (IM, '23), and Allison Wong (CW, '23).

Yosemite Invitational:

2nd Place
Helicopters: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, '24) and Vivian Chen (IM, '23)

3rd Place
Codebusters: Kacy Chung (VA, '23), Anjal Jain (CV, '22), and Em Wei-Ten (PM, '23)

4th Place
Circuit Lab: Joshua Qin (BR, '23) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, '24)
Digital Structures: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, '24) and Anjal Jain (CV, '22)
Disease Detectives: Samantha Su (VA, '21) and Allison Wong (CW, '23)
Gravity Vehicle Design: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, '24) and Joshua Qin (BR, '23)

5th Place
Sounds of Music: Vivian Chen (IM, '23) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, '24)

6th Place
Experimental and Data Analysis: Samantha Su (VA, '21), Joshua Qin (BR, '23), and Kacy Chung (VA, '23)
Designer Genes: Caleb Empig (IM, '23) and Kacy Chung (VA, '23)

Other competitors included Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, '22), Lauren Chudner (VA, '23), Katherine Given (ACT, '24), Antara Kalle (CW, '23), Hannah Kang (VA, '22), Tane Kim (IM, '24), Amy Lee (IM, '23), Grant Li (CW, '23), Hyunjin Park (VA, '23), Haley Shimabukuro (IM, '24), Sara Shimabukuro (IM, '21), Isabelle Tran (VA, '22), Rachel Vu (IM, '24), Erica Yang (IA, '21), Jeffrey Yang (CV, '24), and Jiin Yun (IM, '24).

Miraloma Invitational:

1st Place
Environmental Chemistry: Kacy Chung (VA, '23) and Amy Lee (IM, '23)

4th Place
Detector Building: Vivian Chen (IM, '23) and Nathan Tatsuta (IM, '24)

Congratulations to the members of OCSA’s Mock Trial Team, who competed this year against more than 35 teams from across Orange County, advancing to the semifinals. The primary competition team was victorious against JSerra, Brea Olinda, Foothill, Santa Ana, Beckman, and Yorba Linda, while the secondary competition team defeated Portola and Mater Dei.

Primary Team:
Sophia Abiera (ACT, ‘24)
Sruthi Alle (CV, ‘21)
Catherine Boland (IA, ‘24)
Charlotte Brandman (MT, ‘23)
Riley Bryant (FTV, ‘21)
Edward Chen (IA, ‘24)
Gabriel Chen (PM, ‘22)
Ethan Gray (ACT, ‘22)
Sasha Herthel (ACT, ‘23)
Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘23)
Melanie Huq (CW, ‘21)
Toby Izenberg (CW, ‘23)
Milo Karnes (IA, ‘24)
Emma Kay (ACT, ‘23)
Regan Mading (IA, ‘23)
Mehra Marzbani (ACT, ‘23)
Morgan Milam (IM, ‘24)
Gaby Mikhail (CW, ‘21)
Daisy Noh (IA, ‘22)
Jess Perez (ACT, ‘21)
Paris Lases-Perez (ACT, ‘21)
Colin Root (ACT, ‘22)
Jocelyn Wang (PM, ‘23)

Secondary Team:
Ally Artavia-High (CW, ‘24)
Zabby Bagnol (PD, ‘24)
Daniel Grossgold (IA, ‘24)
McKenna Guldner (IA, ‘24)
Courtney Hines (CW, ‘24)
Darian Hojreh (CAH, ‘22)
Claire Karr (VA, ‘23)
Annabelle Kim (CW, ‘23)
Emily Kim (CW, ‘24)
Nathaniel Kim (DM, ‘22)
Sky Lu (IA, ‘23)
Kendall Phanco (VA, ‘23)
Mia Rinaldi (PM, ‘23)
Aryan Simhadri (ACT, ‘24)
Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23)
Luke Stark (IA, ‘24)

The OCSA Science Olympiad Division C (High School) Team competed in the Golden Gate Invitational. Out of 151 teams from across the nation, Kacy Chung (VA, ‘23), Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22), and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23) earned a 10th place medal in Codebusters.

Other competitors included Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24), Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23), Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23), Katherine Given (ACT, ‘24), Grant Li (CW, ‘23), Sara Shimabukuro (IM, ‘21), Samantha Su (VA, ‘21), Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24), Allison Wong (CW, ‘23), Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24), and Erica Yang (IA, ‘21).

Adrienne Dunworth (IA, ‘22), Luke Witting (IA, ‘23), and their band, Color of Sound, were recognized in the “Amazing Teens” section of the Ladera Ranch Roots and Wings magazine for performing more than 30 live three-hour performances since mid-May in support of local small businesses.

To read the full magazine article, please visit https://bit.ly/3gbPnJo

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

Honorable Mention:
Anika Biswas (CW, ‘23): Short Story, Boa Constrictor
Lena Brem (CW, ‘23): Short Story, The Ticking Stops
Cat Bui (CW, ‘22): Science Fiction & Fantasy, Libellulidae
Melody Chang (IM, ‘22): Poetry, Ode to an Eraser, Reflections: from a Woman in STEM
Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22): Drawing & Illustration, Flight
Andy Choi (CW, ‘22): Short Story, 38th Parallel
Erin Choi (VA, ‘22): Painting, Warmth, A Slipped Disc
Adin Choung (IM, ‘22): Short Story, China Dolls
Ethan Chu (VA, ‘21): Film & Animation, Life at a Japanese High School
Nora De Vente (VA, ‘22): Ceramics & Glass, Ignited
Maggie Ding (FTV, ‘22): Film & Animation, VOICE
Emilia Djordjevic (CW, ‘23): Short Story, Blood On My Hands
Joyce Hong (VA, ‘22): Comic Art, Night Illusion at Osaka; Drawing & Illustration, Rotten
Sally Jang (CW, ‘23): Flash Fiction, Keep the Distance, If I Was Back: A Vignette
Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22): Painting, Portrait of Dad
Aaliyah Joo (VA, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, America, Land of the Free?; Painting, Dreams of Fish
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22): Painting, Complexities of Skin Color
Annabelle Kim (CW, ‘24): Short Story, A Thread Between Us, Simplicity of Life
Annette Kim (VA, ‘22): Drawing & Illustration, Human; Sculpture, Leisure
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25): Fashion, Asymmetry
Chloe Kim (VA, ‘23): Digital Art, Continuos
Katie Kim (CW, ‘23): Short Story, Domesticated
Emily Kim (CW, ‘24): Poetry, picture this...
Grace Kim (BR, ‘22): Personal Essay & Memoir, Imo's House; Science Fiction & Fantasy, Mayu
Olivia Knox (PM, ‘23): Painting, Koi Fish closet
Carrie Kuo (VA, ‘22): Painting, Human, Spring Beginnings; Mixed Media, Scary Carrie
Dawon Lee (PD, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, Hand Elements
Joyce Lee (VA, ‘21): Painting, Archive; Mixed Media, Crisis, Imitation
Kristie Lee (VA, ‘22): Digital Art, In My Own Little World, Mixed Media, Contend
Samantha Losey (VA, ‘25): Painting, Aries
Evan Yu-Wei Lu (VA, ‘23): Painting, Peppers, Cancer
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23): Journalism, Figure Skaters' Eating Habits Leave Them on Thin Ice
Sidney Muntean (CW, ‘22): Flash Fiction, The Event Horizon
Lisa Ordonez (IA, ‘23): Science Fiction & Fantasy, A Reverie of an Icy Prince; Painting, The Storyteller
Juhyun Park (VA, ‘21): Art Portfolio, The Progression of 2020; Digital Art, Babel City
Junwoo Park (VA, ‘21): Mixed Media, Janus, The Two Faces of a Pandemic; Art Portfolio, Beauty Under Destruction
Tobi-Hope Jieun Park (CW, ‘21): Poetry, the mythos speaks of women; Writing Portfolio, Meraki and Other Dances
Abril Rodriguez Diaz (CW, ‘22): Poetry, Skeleton House
London San Luis (DM, ‘23): Digital Art, INDELIBLE, INVERSION
Keila Sato (CW, ‘21): Novel Writing, The Fire in His Blood
Amy Shi (CW, ‘24): Poetry, Cordae Lupa; Short Story, Animotophobia— fragens, nefasta, et timida
Sohun Shin (VA, ‘24): Painting, Closest, Most Precious; Drawing & Illustration, Home Stays
Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23): Humor, In Opposition of Ice Breaker Games
Ashley Thornton (CW, ‘23): Poetry, The Unicorn, The Universal Collapse, Paradise Parasite, Premonitio[n], God is a Butterfly, Starlight
Trenyce Tong (VA, ‘21): Mixed Media, The Bifurcation of Life, Violation; Film & Animation, Weather’s Changing
Jonathan Truong (CW, ‘21): Short Story, Newspaper Planes
Huilun Wang (VA, ‘23): Painting, Light, Leafs
Suofei Wang (VA, ‘21): Painting, Night Market
Xiaowei Wang (VA, '22): Drawing & Illustration, The Composer of Decomposition
Ally Wong (CW, ‘23): Poetry, maintenance inside her heart chamber, Courtesy of the Coyotes, We were left behind to survive, behind grandpa's feet
Katherine Wong (CW, ‘21): Poetry, waning&waxing down capital cul-de-sacs
Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24): Flash Fiction, late mis-; Poetry, inner prayer, two eyes
Rachel Yoo (VA, ‘23): Photography, Hands of Stereotypes
Cindy Zhang (VA, ‘24): Painting, Hush
Junzhu Zhang (VA, ‘21): Sculpture, Thin Man; Drawing & Illustration, Red Door, Red Shoes; Painting, Spring 2020; Art Portfolio, The world I live in -2
Carina Zheng (VA, ‘24): Design, Tenki No Ko

The following students from OCSA's Junior Statesmen of America (JSA) chapter ran a successful debate event, which featured guest speaker former California Congressman Harley Rouda. More than 50 students from JSA chapters across Southern California attended and participated. Jennifer Woo (IA, '21) was also voted "Best Speaker'' for her debate.

Maya Coyne (CMD, ‘21)
Tane Kim (IM, ‘24)
Sophia Kimmel (CV, ‘22)
Max Mikkelsen (IA, ‘22)
Aashna Rana (CV, ‘23)
Rajsi Rana (CW, ‘22)
London San Luis (DM, ‘23)
Isabella Szabo (CV, ‘21)
Jennifer Woo (IA, ‘21)

The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Award. This program highlights talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts. 750 students representing 78 Orange County high schools were nominated, and 50 of them are from OCSA! Each of these students have proven their abilities in their areas of expertise. Here are the nominations for Theater:

Acting:
Ariyah Brown (ACT, ‘21)
Sophia Del Rey (ACT, ‘21)
Justin Joung (MT, ‘21)
Mia Kaplan (MT, ‘21)
Taite Morrison (IA, ‘22)

Musical Theater Performance:
Madison E. Osment (MT, ‘21)
Charlee Rubino (MT, ‘21)
Arielle Leeah Schmid (MT, ‘21)

The OCSA National History Day Club, founded by Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22), competed in the National History Day Orange County Competition. The students created historically accurate projects relating to the 2021 theme of “Communication: The Key to Understanding.” The following students became Orange County Champions and progressed to the State level.

Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22)
Sally Jang (CW, ‘23)
Jamie Jung (CW, ‘24)
Katie Kim (CW, ‘23)
Arianna Ramirez (BF, ‘26)
Annabel Reiher (CW, ‘23)
Selah Sanchez (CW, ‘23)
Emma Wei-Ten (PM, ‘23)

Other Club Participants
Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘23)
Anna Huang (CW, ‘24)
Lauren Kim (CW, ‘24)
Luke Stark (IA, ‘24)

The OCSA Science Olympiad High School Team (Division C) competed in the Orange County Regional competition and placed in 14 of the 29 events. The team earned 6th place out of almost 40 schools and will advance to the Southern California State Science Olympiad competition. Team member Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24) placed in all of his events.

1st Place
Codebusters: Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22), Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23), and Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)

2nd Place
Digital Structures: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24) and Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22)
Amazing Mechatronics: Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) and Isabelle Tran (VA, ‘22)

3rd Place
Chiropterology: Kacy Chung (VA, ‘23) and Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23)
Circuit Lab: Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23)
Experimental and Data Analysis: Katherine Given (ACT ‘24), Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23), and Samantha Su (VA, ‘21),
Fermi Questions: Tane Kim (IM, ‘24) and Haley Shimabukuro (IM, ‘24)
Helicopters: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24) and Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23)
Game On: Katherine Given (ACT, ‘24) and Em Wei-Ten (PM, ‘23)
Geologic Mapping: Aleks Cornforth (CMD, ‘21) and Erica Yang (IA, ‘21)

4th Place
Algorithms and Heuristics: Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24) and Em Wei-Ten (PM, ‘23)
Dynamic Planet: Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24) and Jiin Yun (IM, ‘24)
Gravity Vehicle: Sameer Bajaj (ACT, ‘24) and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23)
Ornithology: Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23) and Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23)

Other Competitors
Amy Lee (IM, ‘23), Grant Li (CW, ‘23), Sara Shimabukuro (IM, ‘21), and Allison Wong (CW, ‘23)

The OCSA Debate Team attended the High School Public Debate Program bi-coastal tournament and received 1st place for highest percentage wins in debate rounds and 1st place for best overall school. The following students participated and placed.

Team Awards
1st Overall Team: Melanie Huq (CW, ‘21), Melanie Kallah (IA, ‘21), and Isabel Lyons (IA, ‘22)
6th Overall Team: Cynthia Huang (CW, ‘24), Amy Lee (IM, ‘23), and Aashna Rana (CW, ‘23)
7th Overall Team: Sophie Ma (BR, ‘23), Jillian Metzker (IA, ‘22), and Terra Skaar (PD, ‘24)
8th Overall Team: Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘23), Joyce Hong (VA, ‘22), and Rajsi Rana (CW, ‘22)

Individual Speaker Awards
2nd Place: Melanie Kallah (IA, ‘21)
12th Place: Cynthia Huang (CW, ‘24)
14th Place: Annabelle Kim (CW, ‘23)

The following students, as a part of the Free To Be Me Studio Performance Arts Academy Dynamix Competition Team, auditioned and were selected to represent Team USA at the World Championships of Performing Arts 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They will compete against 61 other countries at the worldwide competition next fall. Several of the numbers the troupe auditioned with were musically directed and arranged by OCSA faculty member Jamond McCoy. To read more about their journey, please visit https://bit.ly/3w2ZGEc

Cynthia Allen (IA, ‘25)
Lillie Atkins (IA, ‘25)
India Dawson (PM, ‘25)
Gwendalyn Heredia (IA, ‘26)
Angelina Kidder (MT, ‘26)
Hailey Knowles (IA, ‘25)
Sofia Naccarato (IA, ‘23)
Vinnie Naccarato (PM, ‘25)
Kaylee Nagata (IA, ‘26)
Simone Ponsford (IA, ‘26)
Chloe Reyes (IA, ‘27)
Zachary Sadeghian (IA, ‘26)
Delilah Summers (IA, ‘25)

Sisters Ayiah Soufi (IA, ‘26) and Ellie Soufi (PM) were featured on the cover of the April 2021 issue of ALL EYES Magazine with an eight-page spread. ALL EYES Magazine is an international digital and print magazine that showcases young talent from all over the world.

Olivia Le (IA, ‘25) won the Poetry Division in the OC Fair Imaginology Competition.

Daniel Grossgold (IA, ‘24) was named a 2021 Expressions Challenge Finalist through Expressions by Walgreens, which encourages high school students to express themselves creatively through media projects.

Sonali Dhanidina (IA, '25) and Ashley Hodge (IA, '23) contributed to the Young People of the Pandemic anthology, which features authors ages 10-21 from all across the U.S. and is available on Amazon.

The following members of the OCSA Debate Team placed at the High School Public Debate Program Bi-Coastal Championships.

Team Awards:
4th Overall - Melanie Huq (CW, ‘21), Melanie Kallah (IA, ‘21), and Isabel Lyons (IA, ‘22)

Individual Speaker Awards:
1st Place - Melanie Kallah (IA, ‘21), Debate Team President
6th Place - Melanie Huq (CW, ‘21)
8th Place - Isabel Lyons (IA, ‘22)
12th Place - Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘23)

Best Overall School:
3rd Place - Orange County School of the Arts

Lisa Ordonez (IA, ‘23) was accepted to participate in the Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry course through the Stanford University Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes program.

Annika Petras (IA, '25) was selected to serve as a Kid Reporter for Scholastic Kids Press. Annika is one of 45 student journalists representing 21 U.S. states and more than 10 countries around the world. In her fourth year reporting for Scholastic Kids Press, she has covered the election, the pandemic, earthquakes, and the entertainment industry.

To read more about her story, please visit https://prn.to/3wWL6i1

Avery Mizrahi (IA, '24) was accepted into the SoCal Youth Neuroscience Association (SCYNA) through UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. SCYNA allows students to connect with experts in the field through events, competitions, and discussions. Avery was also selected to share her passion for neuroscience with SCYNA's elementary school outreach program.

Dana Worrell (IA, '21) booked a role as a dancer in Jadah Marie's latest music video, titled "Staycation."

Catalina Marin (IA, '21) and Eileen Shank (IA, '21) founded the Unidos Together Cultural Exchange Program to connect kids in Orange County with kids in Mexico through art, language, and technology. They led bilingual writing activities via Skype with the San Juan Capistrano and Rosarito Beach Boys & Girls Clubs. They also visited Rosarito, Mexico to connect in person and fundraised on their website to help bring electricity to the Rosarito Beach Boys & Girls Club.

To learn more about the program, please visit https://bit.ly/3uK5NMG

The following students participated as mentors in Musical Theater Matters, a community program with Segerstrom Center for the Arts that engages and supports children with special needs through musical theater.

Nikka Coetzee (IA, '23)
Sophia Gaba (MT, '23)
Ana Sofia Gomez Garza (MT, '25)
Mia Guillen (IA, '23)
Jonah Lee (MT, '23)
Phe McCullough (MT, '24)
Lauren Mei (ACT, '23)
Lisa Ordonez (IA, '23)
Hannah Osier (IA, '24)

Rachel Presby (IA, '22) earned the National American Miss California Jr. Teen title after being evaluated for her volunteer work, performance in interviews, poise, and overall presentation. She was invited to represent California at the National Pageant later this year.

Regan Mading's (IA, ‘23) piece "The Lack of Education Regarding Epinephrine Is Nuts" received an honorable mention in The New York Times eighth annual Student Editorial Contest. It was one of 52 essays chosen from more than 11,000 entries.

The following students were awarded overall superior ratings in the 2021 State and International Thespian Festivals.

International Competition:
Acting Monologue
Jacki Vellandi (ACT, ‘22)

Playwriting
Bridget Phillips (MT, ‘22)

Solo Musical
Mia Geise (MT, ‘24)

State Competition:
Acting Duet
Hope Lee (ACT, ‘26) and Alexandra Sprague (ACT, ‘26)

Group Musical
Ana Sofia Gomez Garza (MT, ‘25)
Shayla Knihtila (ACT, ‘26)
Lana Lee (IA, ‘26)
Hope Lee (ACT, ‘26)
Hailey Perng (ACT, ‘26)
Alexandra Sprague (ACT, ‘26)
Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘25)

Monologue
Bridget Phillips (MT, ‘22)
Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘25)
Jacki Vellandi (ACT, ‘22)

Musical Solo
Meghan Barton (MT, ‘23)
Mia Geise (MT, ‘24)
Shayla Knihtila (ACT, ‘26)
Jacki Vellandi (ACT, ‘22)

Zoe Hebbard (IA, ‘21) performed the lead role of Eva in South Coast Repertory's production of the play "Snow Angel."

The following students participated in the short film “Musical Theater Camp 3” produced by Braver Players Musical Theater Foundation.


Sadie Braverman (ACT, ‘23)
Colin Daniels (ACT, ‘22)
Mya Gonzales (ACT, ‘23)
Zach Hoffman (ACT, ‘22)
Jack Ireland (ACT, ‘25)
Chase Johnson (ACT, ‘26)
Caleb Malis (IA, ‘23)
Madeline Rosenberg (ACT, ‘26)
Leilani Steiner (ACT, ‘25)

Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) has been ranked by Niche 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! We would like to express our gratitude to all the students, teachers, and staff who continue to make OCSA an exceptional institution. To view all rankings for OCSA, please visit: https://bit.ly/3D8R02u

Sonali Dhanidina (IA, ‘25) was chosen to perform her spoken word piece “Silent Colors” at Breaking Bias, the annual spotlight event for NewGround, which empowers Jewish and Muslim change-makers with the skills, resources, and relationships needed to improve Muslim-Jewish relations and strengthen cooperation on issues of shared concern.

The OCSA VEX Robotics Team competed in their first-ever tournament at the VEX OC Robo Bonanza, hosted by Beckman High School, and received the Judge’s Award. The following students participated in the tournament:

Sumin Cho (IM, ‘24)
Vivienne Ho (IA, ‘22)
Justin Hong (IM, ‘24)
Chelsea Lee (VA, ‘23)
Kara Syn (IM, ‘23)
Jeffrey Tadeo (IA, ‘21)
Ryan Yoo (CAH, ‘24)

Emma Grier (IA, ‘22) received a perfect score of 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition exam.

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

Mordecai Mehau (IA, ‘26) was selected to appear on "Real World Homecoming Los Angeles," now available on Paramount+.

Dylan Panetta (IA, ‘25) and Ava Grace Recana (MT, ‘26) were cast in and performed the main roles of Miss Honey and Matilda respectively in Arts & Learning Conservatory’s production of "Matilda the Musical."

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

Congratulations to the following students for their success in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These students received Gold Key Regional-at-Large awards. Gold Key recipients will now be judged at the national level.

Jaeung Cha (VA, ‘25): Photography, “Matured Innocence”
Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22): Mixed Media, “Knit”; Painting, “Blossom”
Ruth Chen (CW, ‘25): Humor, "Lamentations"
Jennifer Choi (VA, ‘26): Mixed Media, “Capitalism”
Grace Chung (CW, ‘23): Science Fiction & Fantasy, "The Margean Codes"; Short Story, "An Essay on My Opinion of Showering"
Justine Droullard (CW, ‘24): Flash Fiction, "Flowers in the Sink"
Ashley Hong (CW, ‘24): Flash Fiction, "God's Gift to Us Witches"
Cynthia Huang (CW, ‘24): Poetry, "Homemade"
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22): Design, “Squid Game: Temptation or Death”; Drawing & Illustration, “Voices of Objects”, “Ceramics & Glass”, “Plastic Addiction”
Annabelle Kim (CW, ‘24): Dramatic Script, "A Letter to You"; Poetry, "Working towards the next step"
Annette Kim (VA, ‘22): Drawing & Illustration, “Self-portrait”
Chaewon Kim (CW, ‘23): Architecture & Industrial Design, “Mugression”, “Blewn collection”
Chloe Kim (VA, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, “Pressure”; Painting, “Toy Box”
Kate Kim (CW, ‘25): Short Story, "Grocery Store"
Kristie Lee (VA, ‘22): Design, “Yearbook Cover Design”; Mixed Media, “The Road Ahead”;
Sculpture, “Cowfee or Tea”, “Futile”
Lauren Kim (VA, ‘22): Film & Animation, "Overwhelming"; Mixed Media, “Pressure”; Sculpture, “Insecure”
Grant Li (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Earth's Skin"
Julie Lim (IA, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, “Red Sea”
Georgia Mansey (IA, ‘22): Sculpture, “Honey”
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Search Engine Prayer"
Estelle Morris (VA, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, “Reminiscence”
Sidney Muntean (CW, ‘22): Writing Portfolio, "Amalgamated Moments"
Eunice Oh (VA, ‘24): Comic Art, “Lunch”
Kaitlyn Pak (VA, ‘22): Painting, “Alien”
London San Luis (DM, ‘23): Painting, “Cogitate at Night in the Bathroom 20 Yards Away From Her Bedroom Door”, “A Late Night”
Camilla Shen (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Flux.Flow"
Amy Shi (CW, ‘24): Poetry, "Hereafters of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake"
Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23): Dramatic Script, "Party Pooper"; Humor, "Phototoxic"
Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24): Poetry, "mommy"
Lacole Yang (CW, ‘24): Poetry, "Reminiscence from the Lake, 2020"
Ruth Zhang (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Our Sweet Ride”

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

Charlotte Brandman (MT, ‘23): Poetry, "Interior"
Kaitlyn Byer (CW, ‘25): Personal Essay & Memoir, "Just Me and Him"
Jaeung Cha (VA, ‘25): Photography, “Missing You”
Ruth Chen (CW, ‘25): Personal Essay & Memoir, "It Is."
Jennifer Choi (VA, ‘26): Drawing & Illustration, “Kitchen Utensils”; Mixed Media, “My Hobbies”
Kacy Chung (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Circles”
David Du (FTV, ‘24): Dramatic Script, "Tokyo from Afar, LA SALVATION"
Weiduo Feng (VA, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, “Octopus in a rainstorm”; Film & Animation, "Lend"
Kelly Halliburton (CW, ‘25): Poetry, "The Elements of Nature"
Isabella Ho (CW, ‘22): Flash Fiction, "Playing Cards With Death"
Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘24): Science Fiction & Fantasy, "The Mystery Man"
Jessica Hong (CW, ‘24): Short Story, "The Skeleton Girl in My Chemistry Class"
Lyn Huang (CW, ‘24): Flash Fiction, "3165"
Aaliyah Joo (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Venus”
Jamie Jung (CW, ‘24): Poetry, "Pictures and Frames"
Sona Kamaraj (VA, ‘24): Painting, “Artificial Environment”
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22): Drawing & Illustration, “A Woman’s Back”, “Catastrophe”
Estella Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25): Photography, “Water Diamonds on the Rocks”
Annette Kim (VA, ‘22): Painting, “Incompetence”
Chaewon Kim (CW, ‘23): Painting, “It’s Unfair”
Chloe Kim (VA, ‘23): Drawing & Illustration, “Melting”

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"

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)

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.

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

Donggyu Kim (VA, ‘24): Drawing & Illustration, “Sweetness”
Emily Kim (CW, ‘24): Dramatic Script; "Will It Get Better?"; Personal Essay & Memoir; "Regardless of a Drift…"
Frances Kim (IA, ‘24): Drawing & Illustration, “Orange in Ice”
Jennifer Kim: Mixed Media, “Night Market”
Haley Kleinman (IA, ‘23): Science Fiction & Fantasy, "The Truth About The Silence"
Leo Lai (CW, ‘24): Dramatic Script, "CATS SIDE STORY"
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Outlook”
Kristie Lee (VA, ‘22): Design, “Our Plastic, Our Oceans”; Fashion, “Reversible Shipping Envelope to Tote Bag”
Evan Yu-Wei Lu (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Doctor”
Jack Malo (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Latke Words With Grandpa Max"
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23): Journalism, "Airlines Break Wheelchairs Every Day. Disabled People Are Fighting Back"
Lisa Ordonez (IA, ‘23): Personal Essay & Memoir, "Once Ours Alone"
Ash Park (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Albert"
Kaitlyn Pak (VA, ‘22): Painting, “Clad”
London San Luis (DM, ‘23): Painting, “Elicitation”, “Together Again”, “The Warmest Embrace”, “Sightless”; Sculpture, “Tao”
Ashley Shin (VA, ‘25): Drawing & Illustration, “Still Life”
Clara Son (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "America, Convicted, Greek Tragedies"
Leo Sui (IM, ‘23): Personal Essay & Memoir, "Sweet Tomatoes; Always Closest To Spoiling"
Ally Wong (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Feng shui (n.)"
Melody Wu (VA, ‘24): Painting, “Delicate Doorway”
Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24): Critical Essay, "THE WARRING STATES: CULTURAL AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENTAL FEUD BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES"; Poetry, "lunar new year, for her, trapped in nineteen ninety-nine, last conversation with grandmother"
Misu (Cindy) Zhang (VA, ‘24): Drawing & Illustration, “Betrayal”

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

Carrie Kuo (VA, ‘22): Design, “Park Days”
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Barren”, “Isolation”
Kristie Lee (VA, ‘22): Design, "Draw How You See Yourself!"
Grant Li (CW, ‘23): Flash Fiction, "Father's Hands are Magical; Journalism, Essential Immigrant Businesses, PostCOVID, Rebound and Rebuild"
Jeongwon Lim (FTV, ‘25): Film & Animation, "Just Another Weekend"
Evan Yu-Wei Lu (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Illusions”
London San Luis (DM, ‘23): Painting, “Female Gaze”, “Homecoming”; Sculpture, “Scotoma”; Photography, “underneaths”, “undoings”
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23): Dramatic Script, "Portrait of the Void"
Sidney Muntean (CW, ‘22): Personal Essay & Memoir, "The Botanists"; Poetry, "palpitations"
Ash Park (CW, ‘23): Dramatic Script, "Try to Try"; Flash Fiction, "Star Seed"
Amy Shi (CW, ‘24): Poetry, "Mother Hands"; Short Story, "Paradoxical Heroism"
Clara Son (CW, ‘23): Poetry, "Lemon Trees", "Letters to Dorothy", "Steps"
Huilun Wang (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Transformation”
Ally Wong (CW, ‘23): Personal Essay & Memoir, "Tiger Lily Bloom Season"; Poetry, "Table Set", "TO-DO LIST", "ITEM NO.3"
Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24): Flash Fiction, "Colors on a Blank Canvas", "The Death of Winter"; Poetry, "motel", "the between", "morning coffee", "more than"
Mia Yen (CW, ‘24): Poetry, "take me to a place far away"
Rachel Yoo (VA, ‘23): Painting, “Boundaries”
Lauren Young (PD, ‘26): Painting, “Library of Magic”
Cinna Zhou (VA, ‘25): Mixed Media, “Lure”; Painting, “World of the Books”
Eric Zhu (FTV, ‘22): Film & Animation, "The Best Life"

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.

Computer-Assisted Visual Arts:

Computer Drawing and Painting
Sofia De Luna (DM, ‘22)
Juliana Jarvis (DM, ‘22)
Elise Maniquis-Dormitorio (DM, ‘22)
Hannah Miller (DM, ‘22)
Megan Mo (DM, ‘22)

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

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

Dance:

Commercial Dance
Danielle Silver (CMD, ‘22)
Reagan Vallejo (IA, ‘22)

Concert Dance
Emmy Cheung (CMD, ‘22)
Nicole Frias Lugo (BCD, ‘22)
Alisa Nguyen (BCD, ‘23)
Amelie Jolie Vidrio (BCD, ‘22)

World/Cultural Dance
Hannah Ayala (BR, ‘23)
Mia Amaris Lopez (BF, ‘23)
Joshua Qin (BD, ‘23)
Hana Uehara (BR, ‘23)

The following students were selected as 2022 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 five students will receive three weekends of leadership training and hands-on mentorship from local business professionals.
Teachers Aid+: Camila Balanta (CAH, ‘25) and Sara Balanta (IA, ‘22)
Coding Campers: Tane Kim (IM, ‘24), Abbi Park (CW, ‘24), and Joshua Ta (IM, ‘24)

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 VEX Robotics Team won their last three matches and finished 23rd at the 2022 Southern California VRC High School State Championship. They competed in the Southern California region which has hundreds of teams and is said to be the toughest in the country. The following students are members of the team and competed in the championship:

Sumin Cho (IM, ‘24)
Vivienne Ho (IA, ‘22)
Justin Hong (IM, ‘24)
Chelsea Lee (VA, ‘23)
Kara Syn (IM, ‘23)
Jeffrey Tadeo (IA, ‘21)
Ryan Yoo (CAH, ‘24)

The following students were cast in “Clue! The Murder Mystery Dinner Experience.” This production, based on the movie and board game, sold out within 72 hours of ticket announcement.

Mia Baron (CV, ‘23) as Mrs. Peacock
Katie Cruz (MT, ‘23) as Mrs. White
Ashlye Gambill (MT, ‘23) as Ms. Scarlett
Caleb Malis (IA, ‘23) as Mr. Green
Nathen McLaurin (MT, ‘23) as Professor Plum
Luke Witting (IA, ‘23) as Colonel Mustard

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.

Semifinalists:
Dance:

Commercial Dance
Reagan Vallejo (IA, ‘22)

Concert Dance
Emmy Cheung (CMD, ‘22)
Alisa Nguyen (BCD, ‘23)

World/Cultural Dance
Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23)
Hana Uehara (BR, ‘23)

Film and Animation:

Cinematography
Justin Shin (FTV, ‘22)

Directing and Editing
Maggie Ding (FTV, ‘22)
Alexis Ai Macdonald (FTV, ‘22)
Nona Nishigawara (FTV, ‘22)

Ethan Baker (IA, ‘26) received a silver medal at the Youth 14 Foil Fencing competition and Orange Coast Division's Summer National Championship qualifier. Ethan was selected to compete at the 2022 USA Fencing National Championships in July.

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)

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.

Semifinalists:
Handcrafted Visual Arts:

Hand Drawing and Painting
London San Luis (DM, ‘23)
Xiaowei (Sophia) Wang (VA, ‘22)

Instrumental Music:

Piano and Strings
Xingyao Li (IM, ‘22)
Sein Yun (IM, ‘22)

Vocal Music:

Classical Voice
Mia Paris Baron (CV, ‘23)

Commercial Voice
Ava Ulloa (PM, ‘22)

Gabriella Saraivah (IA, ‘23) was cast in the lead role of Carol in “Tudo Igual... SQN,” coming soon to Disney+ Brasil.

Edward Chen (IA, ‘24), Jasmine Lee (CMD, ‘26), Zoe Sharek (IA, ‘22), Devin Vo (IA, ‘26), and Jadon Vo (CMD, ‘25), as members of the hip-hop competition team Gravy Babies, won first place in the junior division of the 2022 Show Out Dance Competition in El Cajon, CA and received the highest scores among all competing teams in both adult and junior divisions.