Welcome to State of the Art, where we celebrate all of the phenomenal accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Congratulations to all, and don't forget to submit your accomplishments!

To submit a success story to be featured in State of the Art, please fill out the accomplishment submission form here.

To view additional accomplishments by conservatory, please visit this page.

  • Students Selected to Represent Team USA at the World Championships of Performing Arts 2021
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    Students Selected to Represent Team USA at the World Championships of Performing Arts 2021
    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)
  • Former Director of Popular Music Rachel Kramer received the Emerging Leader Award from Arts School Network
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    Former Director of Popular Music Rachel Kramer received the Emerging Leader Award from Arts School Network
    Former Director of the Popular Music Conservatory Rachel Kramer received the 2021 Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton Emerging Leader Award from Arts School Network (ASN) for elevating the conservatory to a new level of excellence and providing an exceptional learning environment for OCSA students. The Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton Emerging Leader Award is designed to recognize excellence and achievement among rising arts schools administrators and to highlight the innovative educational practices or programs of those leaders.
  • OCSA has been ranked by Niche as the #1 Best Charter High School in California for the third year in a row
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    OCSA has been ranked by Niche as the #1 Best Charter High School in California for the third year in a row
    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
  • Wyatt Beckley attended the Berklee College of Music’s Summer Aspire program
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    Wyatt Beckley attended the Berklee College of Music’s Summer Aspire program
    Wyatt Beckley (PM, ‘22) attended the Berklee College of Music’s Summer Aspire program and was selected as a guitarist in the All-Star Funk-Fusion Band.
  • OCSA students won first place in their categories in Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) High School Music Competition
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    OCSA students won first place in their categories in Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) High School Music Competition
    The following students won first place in their categories in Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) High School Music Competition.

    Solo Piano
    Helaine Zhao (IM, ‘24) - "Allegro de Concierto" by Enrique Granados

    Performer Composer (Instrumental)
    Diego Legras (PM, ‘23) - "Improvisation #1" by Diego Legras

    Solo Voice
    Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24) - "Fair Robin I Love" by Kirke Mechem

    Chamber Music
    Christopher Cung (IM, ‘22) - "Trio in B Minor for Piano, Oboe and Clarinet, Movement I" by Edouard Destenay
  • Diego Legras won first place in Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) High School Music Competition
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    Diego Legras won first place in Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) High School Music Competition
    Diego Legras (PM, ‘23) won first place in the Performer-Composer (Instrumental) category in Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) High School Music Competition.
  • OCSA students were recognized as 2022 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation
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    OCSA students were recognized as 2022 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation
    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.
  • Lana Sawalha, an OCSA History Teacher, was offered the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Fellowship
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    Lana Sawalha, an OCSA History Teacher, was offered the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Fellowship
    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.
  • J.J. Barton was cast in a production of the musical "Love Actually Live" at the Wallis Annenberg Center
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    J.J. Barton was cast in a production of the musical "Love Actually Live" at the Wallis Annenberg Center
    J.J. Barton (PM, ‘26) was cast in a production of the musical "Love Actually Live" at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts as a member of the ensemble and understudy for the role of Sam.
  • Orange County School of the Arts was featured in a KTLA article about recent Niche ranking
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    Orange County School of the Arts was featured in a KTLA article about recent Niche ranking
    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
  • Elective and Conservatory Instructor Cameron Shim received his Level 1 Teaching Certification
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    Elective and Conservatory Instructor Cameron Shim received his Level 1 Teaching Certification
    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 the National Invitational Science Olympiad Satellite competition
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    The OCSA Science Olympiad High School Team (Division C) competed in the BirdSO Mini Science Olympiad competition and the National Invitational Science Olympiad Satellite competition
    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)
  • Members of the band Youthanize, Cash Lane, Maverick Lane, and Max Rossini, performed live at OCSA's All-Alumni Holiday Reunion
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    Members of the band Youthanize, Cash Lane, Maverick Lane, and Max Rossini, performed live at OCSA's All-Alumni Holiday Reunion
    Members of the band Youthanize, Cash Lane (PM, ‘25), Maverick Lane (PM, ‘27), and Max Rossini (PM, ‘25), performed live at OCSA's All-Alumni Holiday Reunion. For more information about the band, please visit: https://bit.ly/3GZ5pAR
  • OCSA’s Mock Trial Team advances to the Orange County finals for the first time and receives second place
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    OCSA’s Mock Trial Team advances to the Orange County finals for the first time and receives second place
    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)
  • Shannon Bae was featured in a KPopStarz article featuring Korean idols who once lived abroad before moving to Korea
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    Shannon Bae was featured in a KPopStarz article featuring Korean idols who once lived abroad before moving to Korea
    Shannon Bae (PM) was featured in a KPopStarz article featuring Korean idols who once lived abroad before moving to Korea. For the full article, please visit: https://bit.ly/3KjLXQg
  • The OCSA Robotics Team qualified for the 2022 Southern California VRC High School State Championship
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    The OCSA Robotics Team qualified for the 2022 Southern California VRC High School State Championship
    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, including OCSA students from multiple conservatories
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    The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 9th Annual Artist of the Year Awards, including OCSA students from multiple conservatories
    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, including OCSA students from multiple conservatories
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    The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 9th Annual Artist of the Year Awards, including OCSA students from multiple conservatories
    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 OCSA High School Science Olympiad Team competed in the BirdSO Invitational competition against 236 teams across the nation and earned several awards
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    The OCSA High School Science Olympiad Team competed in the BirdSO Invitational competition against 236 teams across the nation and earned several awards
    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)
  • Summer Brennan released a music video for her original song, “Boy”
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    Summer Brennan released a music video for her original song, “Boy”
    Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) released a music video for her original song, “Boy.” To view the music video, please visit: https://bit.ly/3DwrhCv
  • The Orange County Register announced semifinalists for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
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    The Orange County Register announced semifinalists for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
    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)
  • The Orange County Register announced the semifinalists for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
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    The Orange County Register announced the semifinalists for the 8th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
    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)
  • Analiese Bancroft co-authored a paper published by the Institute of Physics Science Journal on nanotechnology
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    Analiese Bancroft co-authored a paper published by the Institute of Physics Science Journal on nanotechnology
    Analiese Bancroft (PM, ‘21) co-authored a paper published by the Institute of Physics Science Journal on nanotechnology, titled "Pristine carbon nanotubes are efficient absorbers at radio frequencies." Additionally, she had the opportunity to meet with Bill Nye and Nobel Prize winner Frances Arnold.
  • Tennessee Freese, Cash Lane, Maverick Lane, Max Rossini, and their band, Youthanize, were chosen to play at the 2023 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show
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    Tennessee Freese, Cash Lane, Maverick Lane, Max Rossini, and their band, Youthanize, were chosen to play at the 2023 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show
    Tennessee Freese (IM, ‘27), Cash Lane (IM, ‘25), Maverick Lane (PM, ‘27), Max Rossini (PM, ‘25), and their band, Youthanize, were chosen to play on the main stage at the 2023 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show.
  • JJ Barton (PM, ‘26) signed his first commercial music contract to sing the title track of a brand new Cartoon, “Monster Loving Manics”
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    JJ Barton (PM, ‘26) signed his first commercial music contract to sing the title track of a brand new Cartoon, “Monster Loving Manics”
    JJ Barton (PM, ‘26) signed his first commercial music contract to sing the title track of a brand-new cartoon, “Monster Loving Manics.” The cartoon is currently being aired all across Europe. JJ and his rock band “Duct Tape,” of which he is the lead singer, also played their first sold-out gig at Campus Jax in Newport Beach. Additionally, JJ was cast in his second Dhar Mann short film, titled “Kid Gets Sent to Military School.”
  • OCSA students were recognized as 2023 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements
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    OCSA students were recognized as 2023 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements
    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 semifinalists for the 10th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
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    The Orange County Register announced the semifinalists for the 10th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
    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 nominees for the 10th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
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    The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 10th Annual Artist of the Year Awards
    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)
  • Alix Page was selected to perform at the Aitken Arts Plaza in Orange
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    Alix Page was selected to perform at the Aitken Arts Plaza in Orange
    Alix Page (PM, ‘20) was selected to perform at the Aitken Arts Plaza in Orange.
  • OCSA students were selected as 2023 Dragon Kim Fellows and earned $5,000 community service grants from the Dragon Kim Foundation
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    OCSA students were selected as 2023 Dragon Kim Fellows and earned $5,000 community service grants from the Dragon Kim Foundation
    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 students were recognized as grand prize finalists, semifinalists, and finalists award winners in The Music Center’s 34th Annual Spotlight Program
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    OCSA students were recognized as grand prize finalists, semifinalists, and finalists award winners in The Music Center’s 34th Annual Spotlight Program
    The following students were recognized as grand prize finalists, semifinalists, and finalist award winners in The Music Center’s 34th 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 then auditions once more, and the top two finalist performers in each category are selected for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists.

    Grand Prize Finalists:

    Classical Voice
    Lilliana Mindel (CV, ‘24)

    Semifinalists:

    Ballet
    Preston Walker (BCD, ‘26)

    Dance
    Sammi Chung (CMD, '24)
    Ayanna Dowell (CMD, '23)
    Andrea Martinez (BF, ‘25)
    Mallory McKenna (CMD, '23)
    Isabella Silva (IA, ‘26)

    Classical Instrumental
    Ariana Kim (IM, ‘25)
    Calene Lee (CW, '25)

    Jazz Instrumental
    Ian Shin (IM, ‘24)
    Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24)

    Non-Classical Voice
    Joan Park (PM, ‘23)

    Classical Voice
    Grace Huynh (CV, ‘23)
    Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24)
  • Ellie Williams was awarded the Songwriters Hall of Fame scholarship from the University of Southern California
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    Ellie Williams was awarded the Songwriters Hall of Fame scholarship from the University of Southern California
    Ellie Williams (PM, ‘19) was awarded the Songwriters Hall of Fame scholarship from the University of Southern California.
  • Summer Brennan was named a finalist in the Song Academy’s International Songwriting Contest
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    Summer Brennan was named a finalist in the Song Academy’s International Songwriting Contest
    Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) was named a finalist in the Song Academy’s International Songwriting Contest.
  • OCSA students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation
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    OCSA students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation
    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
  • OCSA students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation
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    OCSA students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation
    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
  • Savannah Tweedt was named the champion of the Hit Like a Girl International Contest for female drummers ages 13-17
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    Savannah Tweedt was named the champion of the Hit Like a Girl International Contest for female drummers ages 13-17
    Savannah Tweedt (PM, ‘24) was named the champion of the Hit Like a Girl International Contest for female drummers ages 13-17. Hit Like A Girl is one of the biggest, most respected, and influential drumming events in the world.
  • Prestyn Smith was spotlighted in an article by the Sun Newspapers of Seal Beach
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    Prestyn Smith was spotlighted in an article by the Sun Newspapers of Seal Beach
    Prestyn Smith (PM, ‘25) was spotlighted in an article by the Sun Newspapers of Seal Beach. The article focuses on her background in music and the groups she plays in: the PBJ Trio and Accidental Tendencies. Prestyn also released her first solo single in September. To read more, please visit: https://bit.ly/47WPYX2
  • JJ Barton and his band, Duct Tape, played live at the renowned Hollywood venue Whisky a Go Go on Sunset Boulevard
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    JJ Barton and his band, Duct Tape, played live at the renowned Hollywood venue Whisky a Go Go on Sunset Boulevard
    JJ Barton (PM, ‘26) and his band, Duct Tape, played live at the renowned Hollywood venue Whisky a Go Go on Sunset Boulevard. JJ is the lead vocalist for Duct Tape, a classic-rock, edgy hits band.
  • Cole Fredrick, Matt Jarnagin, Matisse Pasillas, Nick Stone, and Chris Trimmer performed on a Virgin Voyage cruise with their band Undecided Future
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    Cole Fredrick, Matt Jarnagin, Matisse Pasillas, Nick Stone, and Chris Trimmer performed on a Virgin Voyage cruise with their band Undecided Future
    Cole Fredrick (PM, ‘16), Matt Jarnagin (FTV, ‘15), Matisse Pasillas (FTV, ‘15), Nick Stone (PM, ‘15), and Chris Trimmer (IM, ‘12) performed on a Virgin Voyage cruise with their band Undecided Future. Undecided Future is an urban pop band with influences from Earth, Wind & Fire, Justin Timberlake, and Bruno Mars, among others. On Virgin Voyage, they have visited Spain, Italy, France, Ibiza, and many other locations throughout 2023.
  • Asher Hinton won First Place in the Teen Division at the Unsigned Only Music Competition with his original song “Whisper”
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    Asher Hinton won First Place in the Teen Division at the Unsigned Only Music Competition with his original song “Whisper”
    Asher Hinton (PM, ‘24) won First Place in the Teen Division at the Unsigned Only Music Competition with his original song “Whisper.” He competed against other recording artists from around the world and was judged by well-respected figures in the music industry.
  • OCSA students performed in the children’s choir that was featured in the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
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    OCSA students performed in the children’s choir that was featured in the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
    The following students performed in the children’s choir that was featured in the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” presented by McCoy Rigby Entertainment at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.

    Cameron Avery (ACT, ‘27)
    Jasmine Melwani (IA, ‘25)
    Adrienne Morrow (MT, ‘25)
    Angelina Pendleton-Mendez (PM, ‘27)
    Sydney Sublette (CV, ‘26)
    Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘25)
    Ava Villacorta (MT, ‘27)
    Emma Woodward (CV, ‘27)
  • Members of the OCSA Robotics Team were invited to compete at the One World Showcase Event at University of California, Berkeley
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    Members of the OCSA Robotics Team were invited to compete at the One World Showcase Event at University of California, Berkeley
    Members of the OCSA Robotics Team were invited to compete at the One World Showcase Event at University of California, Berkeley. Five teams from OCSA competed against 115 other teams from around the country. One of the five teams, Z Squared, was composed of Olivia Lee (VA, ‘25), Sunny Li (IM, ‘24), and Samantha Park (IA, ‘25), making them one of the less than 5% of teams that were made of all female members. Z Squared placed 7th out of 115 in only their second year of robotics. Below is the full list of the OCSA students who participated in the One World Showcase Event.

    Shining Chen (CW, ‘26)
    Sumin Cho (IM, ‘25)
    Evan Choe (VA, ‘25)
    Rhea Dayal (VA, ‘28)
    Juneau Foxlin (IM, ‘26)
    Justin Hong (IM, ‘25)
    Peyton Hsu (AE, ‘27)
    Jason Lee (IM, ‘27)
    Olivia Lee (VA, ‘25)
    Sunny Li (IM, ‘24)
    Edward Luna (IM, ‘24)
    Danny O’Grady (IM, ‘24)
    Samantha Park (IA, ‘25)
    Taven Rong (IM, ‘28)
    Paul Seo (DM, ‘26)
    Kaya Simsek (CAH, ‘26)
    Kara Syn (IM, ‘24)
    George Weichel (PD, ‘27)
    Ryan Yoo (CAH, ‘25)
    Beatrice Yu (PM, ‘28)
    Jojo Yu (CMD, ‘25)
  • OCSA students were recognized as 2023 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements
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    OCSA students were recognized as 2023 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements
    The following students were recognized as 2023 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements. YoungArts Award Winners received a monetary award of $250 and those with Distinction are invited to participate in National YoungArts Week and have their work further evaluated for cash awards of up to $10,000. Attendees of National YoungArts Week who meet the eligibility requirements are also considered for nomination to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

    YoungArts Award Winners:
    Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) – Voice (Popular & Singer-Songwriter)
    Lyla Briggs (CMD, ‘26) – Dance (Ballet)
    David Du (FTV, ‘24) – Film (Narrative)
    Claire Harmsen (PM, ‘26) – Voice (Popular)
    Jaden Kim (IM, ‘25) – Classical Music (Violin)
    Olivia Le (CW, ‘25) – Writing (Spoken Word)
    Jasmine Lee (CMD, ‘26) – Dance (Hip-Hop)
    Allie Molin (IM, ‘25) – Jazz (Trumpet)
    Hugo Nguyen (PM, ‘24) – Voice (Jazz)
    Arianna Ramirez (BF, ‘26) – Dance (World Dance: Mexican Folkloric)
    Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24) – Voice (Classical: Soprano)
    Bella Silva (IA, ‘26) – Dance (Tap)
    Jadon Vo (CMD, ‘25) – Dance (Hip-Hop)
    Preston Walker (BCD, ‘26) – Dance (Ballet)
    Chloe Woo (IM, ‘27) – Writing (Nonfiction)

    YoungArts Award With Distinction Winners:
    William Bolin (CV, ‘24) – Voice (Classical Bass)
    Asher Hinton (PM, ‘24) – Voice (Popular & Singer-Songwriter)
    Jaime Jung (CW, ‘24) – Writing (Spoken Word)
    Evee Lee (CMD, 26) – Dance (Modern Contemporary)
    Bella Silva (IA, ‘26) – Dance (Tap)
  • Summer Brennan released a single, “Lost in LA,” on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms
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    Summer Brennan released a single, “Lost in LA,” on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms
    Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) released a single, “Lost in LA,” on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms. Inspired by her relationships, insecurities, and self-discovery, the lyrics of this song are very personal and relatable.
  • Rohan Soni was a finalist in the 2023 Dragon Kim Fellowship Program competition for co-producing a documentary film titled “Dear Me”
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    Rohan Soni was a finalist in the 2023 Dragon Kim Fellowship Program competition for co-producing a documentary film titled “Dear Me”
    Rohan Soni (PM, ‘26) was a finalist in the 2023 Dragon Kim Fellowship Program competition for co-producing a documentary film titled “Dear Me.” The film focuses on chronic illness and mental wellness, which was inspired by his co-producer’s brother’s struggle with kidney disease. In addition, Rohan developed a mobile app that strives to create positivity through the art of journaling. Watch Rohan speak about it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6eFd4UQoXk > https://bit.ly/4a6Wdcw
  • OCSA students earned recognition awards for their participation in the 2023 Student Evaluation Program
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    OCSA students earned recognition awards for their participation in the 2023 Student Evaluation Program
    The following students earned recognition awards for their participation in the 2023 Student Evaluation Program (SEP) hosted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) - Los Angeles. At the SEP Extravaganza Recital in January, First Place winners in their respective divisions each performed one song of a judge’s choice.

    Classical 2A (Youth); Song for Recital: “Chi vuol la zingarella”
    Lubaina Habib (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention
    Beatrice Main (MT, ‘29) - 3rd Place
    Julia Zhou (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention

    Musical Theatre 2B (Youth); Song for Recital: “The Secret of Happiness”
    Cadence Bleakley (CV, ‘28) - 3rd Place

    Classical 3A-1 (Lower HS - High Voices); Song for Recital: “Italian Street Song”
    Reese Guenther-Clark (CV, ‘27) - 1st Place
    Leila Woodward (CV, ‘27) - 2nd Place

    Commercial B (14 Years & Older); Song for Recital: “Easy On Me”
    Angelina Pendleton-Mendez (PM, ‘27) - 1st Place

    Classical 4B (Upper HS - Low Voices); Song for Recital: “Ah! quanto è vero”
    Sebastian Nunez (CV, ‘24) - Honorable Mention
    Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24) - 3rd Place

    Classical 2B (Youth); Song for Recital: “Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube”
    Cadence Bleakley (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention
    Simran Goyal (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention
    Liam Posos (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention

    Musical Theatre 2A (Youth); Song for Recital: “Shy”
    Beatrice Main (MT, ‘29) - Honorable Mention

    Classical 4A (Lower HS - Low Voices); Song for Recital: “O del mio dolce ardor”
    Henry Courtney (CV, ‘26) - 3rd Place
    Charlton Tsai (CW, ‘24) - 2nd Place
    Jack Wilson (CV, ‘25) - Honorable Mention
    William Yu (CV, ‘26) - Honorable Mention
  • Sydney Noelle Haik earned the Performing Arts: Music Scholarship from the National Society of High School Scholars
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    Sydney Noelle Haik earned the Performing Arts: Music Scholarship from the National Society of High School Scholars
    Sydney Noelle Haik (PM, ‘24) earned the Performing Arts: Music Scholarship from the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). This scholarship is dedicated to those interested in pursuing studies in the performing arts. Sydney was one of three students awarded for their five-minute video performance.
  • Tobias Izenberg, Emma Kay, Emily Kim, and Jocelyn Wang were featured in the OC Register article “Pictures of the Year”
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    Tobias Izenberg, Emma Kay, Emily Kim, and Jocelyn Wang were featured in the OC Register article “Pictures of the Year”
    Tobias Izenberg (CW, ‘23), Emma Kay (PM, ‘23), Emily Kim (CW, ‘24), and Jocelyn Wang (PM, ‘23) were featured in the Orange County Register article “Pictures of the Year” in December 2023. The picture, which was featured in February Favorites, showed the students’ celebration when they won against El Dorado High School at the Orange County Mock Trial Competition, hosted by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. To read the article, please visit https://bit.ly/4c2MEvy
  • Joules Recana received the inaugural Beacon of Hope Award at the Radiant Health Center’s 38th Annual Gala
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    Joules Recana received the inaugural Beacon of Hope Award at the Radiant Health Center’s 38th Annual Gala
    Joules Recana (PM, ‘25) received the inaugural Beacon of Hope Award at the Radiant Health Center’s 38th Annual Gala. Proudly representing the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities, Joules was honored with the award for exemplifying resilience and inclusivity.
  • The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, and semi-finalists for the 2024 Artist of the Year
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    The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, and semi-finalists for the 2024 Artist of the Year
    The Orange County Register announced the winners, finalists, and semi-finalists for the 2024 Artist of the Year. The program highlighted over 800 talented students from across the county, 84 of which were OCSA students:

    ARTIST OF THE YEAR WINNERS:

    Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25) - Fine Arts
    Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24) - Vocal Music
    Jadon Wu (IM, ‘25) - Instrumental Music

    FINALISTS:

    Dance
    Mackenzie Couch (CMD, ‘24)
    Piper Rovsek (CMD, ‘25)

    Fine Arts
    Chili Sloop (VA, ‘24)
    Melody Wu (VA, ‘24)

    Instrumental Music
    Savannah Tweedt (IM, ‘24)

    Theater
    Ava DeVoe (ACT, ‘24)
    Isabella Kim (ACT, ‘25)
    Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25)

    Vocal Music
    William Bolin (CV, ‘24)

    SEMI-FINALISTS

    Dance
    Edward Chen (IA, ‘24)
    Katie Couch (CMD, ‘25)
    Isabella Guzman (BF, ‘25)
    Katelyn Hu (BCD, ‘24)

    Film and TV
    David Du (FTV, ‘24)
    Elise Park (FTV, ‘24)
    Alex Wolff (FTV, ‘23)
    Sadira Wong (FTV, ‘24)

    Fine Arts
    Chelsea Lee (VA, ‘24)
    Grace Shin (VA, ‘24)
    Minnie Zhai (VA, ‘24)

    Instrumental Music
    Amy Jong (IM, ‘24)
    Minjae Jaden Kim (IM, ‘25)
    Allie Molin (IM, ‘25)
    Fenella Nishigawara (IM, ‘24)

    Media Arts
    Ava Diaz (DM, ‘24)
    Jasmine Diep (DM, ‘25)
    Angie Wang (FTV, ‘26)

    Theater
    Corinne Thomas (IA, ‘24)

    Vocal Music
    Madison Becerra (CV, ‘25)
    Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25)
    Lilliana Mindel (CV, ‘24)
    Chloe Ness (CV, ‘24)
    Joules Recana (PM, ‘25)
  • The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 2024 Artist of the Year
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    The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 2024 Artist of the Year
    The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 2024 Artist of the Year. The program highlighted over 800 talented students from across the county, 84 of which were OCSA students:

    NOMINEES

    Dance
    Constantin Chekardzhikov (BR, ‘24)
    Gabriel Cho (BR, ‘24)
    Kameron Couch (CMD, ‘25)
    Violet Lopiccola (BCD, ‘24)
    Avril Martinez (BF, ‘24)
    Daniella Morales (BCD, ‘24)

    Film and TV
    Ramone Hamilton (FTV, ‘24)
    Ella Lindner (FTV, ‘24)
    Quentin Marino (FT, ‘24)
    Diego Andres Terán (FTV, ‘24)

    Fine Arts
    Isabella Chiodo (VA, ‘25)
    Luke Furca (VA, ‘24)
    Clara Kye (VA, ‘24)
    Jonathan Leanos-Villanueva (VA, ‘25)
    Alex Maldonado (VA, ‘24)
    Ciel Mitrovich (VA, ‘24)
    Eunice Yoonsu Oh (VA, ‘24)
    Claudia Tsai (VA, ‘24)
    Jenny Wang (VA, ‘25)
    Cindy Zhang (VA, ‘24)

    Instrumental Music
    Maddox Kennerson (PM, ‘25)
    Damian Paul (IM, ‘24)
    Aadya Sharma (IM, ‘24)

    Media Arts
    Violet Adams (VA, ‘24)
    Rafael Carrera (DM, ‘24)
    Ash Chiov (DM, ‘25)
    Robert Martin (DM, ‘24)
    Seito Miwa (DM, ‘25)
    Fatima Nguyen (VA, ‘24)
    Valerie Truc-Mai Nguyen (VA, ‘25)
    Victoria Phan (DM, ‘25)
    Adrian Resendiz (FTV, ‘24)
    Allyn Richardson (IA, ‘24)
    Alyssa Uy (VA, ‘24)
    Jorryn Voegele (VA, ‘24)
    Jhernice Yandoc (DM, ‘25)
    Jessica Yang (IA, ‘24)

    Theater
    Grace Abbott (ACT, ‘24)
    Chloe Deutschman (MT, ‘24)
    Lukas Loza (PD, ‘24)
    Hannah Osier (IA, ‘24)
    Isabella Rivas (ACT, ‘24)
    Levi Sternshein (ACT, ‘24)

    Vocal Music
    Lal Besir (CV, ‘25)
    Asher Hinton (PM, ‘24)
    Estella Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
    Hugo Nguyen (PM, ‘24)
    Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)
  • The Music Center announced their 2024 Spotlight Grand Prize Finalists
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    The Music Center announced their 2024 Spotlight Grand Prize Finalists
    The Music Center announced their 2024 Spotlight winners. Spotlight is a nationally recognized competition, scholarship, and artistic development program. Out of 14 Grand Prize Finalists, three are from OCSA.

    GRAND PRIZE FINALISTS

    Andrea Martinez (BF, ‘25) - Dance
    Isabella Silva (CMD, ‘26) - Dance
    Savannah Tweedt (PM, ‘24) - Contemporary Instrumental
  • Cassady Lorentzen qualified to be on the 2024-2025 Sailing National Team for the International Optimist Dinghy Association
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    Cassady Lorentzen qualified to be on the 2024-2025 Sailing National Team for the International Optimist Dinghy Association
    Cassady Lorentzen (PM, ‘29) qualified to be on the 2024-2025 Sailing National Team for the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) and will be representing the USA at the IODA North American Championships in Puerto Rico.
  • Miaad Bushala (PM, ‘21) led a class at University of California, Berkeley called Artistry and Entrepreneurship: Taylor’s Version
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    Miaad Bushala (PM, ‘21) led a class at University of California, Berkeley called Artistry and Entrepreneurship: Taylor’s Version
    Miaad Bushala (PM, ‘21) led a class at University of California, Berkeley called Artistry and Entrepreneurship: Taylor’s Version. The course focused on the business strategies and impact of Taylor Swift. The course caught the attention of CBS who interviewed Miaad and her students about this business course. Watch the video here: https://bit.ly/4bO2WbT
  • OCSA Taekwondo students successfully tested to higher level belts in April
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    OCSA Taekwondo students successfully tested to higher level belts in April
    The following OCSA Taekwondo students successfully tested to higher level belts in April. Spearheaded by 8th degree black beIt Stephen Amsler (Elective Teacher), it was the largest graduation to date of OCSA students.

    3rd Degree Black Belt
    Chili Sloop (VA, ‘24)
    Luke Stark (FTV, ‘24)

    2nd Degree Black Belt
    Jenna Ho (VA, ‘26)
    John Kuli (ACT, ‘26)
    Nikun Liu (CV, ‘26)
    Eleazar Reiner (CW, ‘26)
    Luke Sakurai (IM, ‘26)

    1st Degree Black Belt
    Milan Albert-Holty (CW, ‘25)
    Roman Elson (ACT, ‘26)
    Grace Fleischmann (VA, ‘25)
    Jaya Gandhi (CW, ‘25)
    Tristan Gude (ACT, ‘26)
    Carissa Hahn (IM, ‘27)
    Yein Han (CW, ‘25)
    Ksena Eve Jenkins (IA, ‘26)
    Micah Kay (PD, ‘26)
    Brendan Knox (PM, ‘25)
    Ruby Lau (CW, ‘27)
    Alana Liang (CV, ‘26)
    Emma Nevell (PM, ‘27)
    Erica Park (FTV, ‘27)
    Nino Raimondo (IA, ‘27)
    Cole Schulein (CAH, ‘25)
    Thomas Song (IM, ‘25)
    Dylan Spence (VA, ‘26)
    Amina Straughn (VA, ‘27)
  • OCSA students placed or received honorable mentions in their respective categories at the 2024 VO-CAL live competition
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    OCSA students placed or received honorable mentions in their respective categories at the 2024 VO-CAL live competition
    The following OCSA students placed or received honorable mentions in their respective categories at the 2024 VO-CAL live competition at California State University, Long Beach.

    Classical - Ages 12-13; “L’ho perduta”
    Keanu Ho (CV, ‘29) - Second Place
    Samantha Shelly (CV, ‘29) - First Place

    Classical - Age 14 (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Treble); “The Little Horses”
    Simran Goyal (CV, ‘28) - Second Place
    Lubaina Habib (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention
    Olivia Song (CV, ‘28) - First Place

    Classical - Ages 14-15 (Tenor, Baritone, Bass); “Amarilli, mia bella”
    Liam Posos (CV, ‘28) - Third Place
    Zachary Yoshimura (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention

    Classical - Age 15 (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Treble); “The Year’s at the Spring”
    Juliette Eitel (CV, ‘27)

    Classical - Age 16 (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Treble); “Se Florindo e fedele”
    Celine Curtis (CV, ‘26) - Honorable Mention
    Sydney Sublette (CV, ‘26) - Second Place

    Classical - Ages 16-18 (Tenor, Baritone, Bass); “Vecchia zimarra”
    William Bolin (CV, ‘24) - First Place
    Henry Courney (CV, ‘26) - Honorable Mention

    Classical - Ages 17-18 (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor); “Batti, batti”
    Madison Becerra (CV, ‘25) - Second Place
    Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25) - Third Place
    Eliza Tait (CV, ‘25) - Honorable Mention

    Commercial Music - Ages 14-15; “Easy on Me”
    Angelina Pendleton-Mendez (PM, ‘27) - First Place
    Leyla Ton (PM, ‘28) - Second Place

    Musical Theatre - Age 13; “Out There”
    Keanu Ho (CV, ‘29) - Second Place
    Kristin Mamangun (MT, ‘29) - Third Place
    Enzo Passalacqua (MT, ‘28) - First Place

    Musical Theatre - Ages 14-15 (Group 1); “Santa Fe”
    Anya Mulay (MT, ‘28) - Second Place

    Musical Theatre - Ages 14-15 (Group 2); “Screw Loose”
    Asmi Aggarwal (CV, ‘27) - Honorable Mention
    Reese Guenther-Clark (CV, ‘27) - Second Place
    Angelina Pendleton-Mendez (PM, ‘27) - Third Place

    Musical Theatre - Ages 14-15 (Group 3); “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”
    Amber Bach (CV, ‘26) - Third Place
    Juliette Eitel (CV, ‘27) - Second Place

    Musical Theatre - Ages 16-18 (Group 2); “I Don’t Need a Roof”
    Madison Becerra (CV, ‘25) - Third Place
    Sydney Sublette (CV, ‘26) - Honorable Mention

    Musical Theatre - Ages 16-18 (Group 3); “Be a Lion”
    Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25) - Second Place
    Eliza Tait (CV, ‘25) - Honorable Mention
  • OCSA students raised over $30,000 for Maui Wildfire victims by volunteering and sharing their talents at the Music for Maui Benefit Concert and Pop-up Events
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    OCSA students raised over $30,000 for Maui Wildfire victims by volunteering and sharing their talents at the Music for Maui Benefit Concert and Pop-up Events
    The following OCSA students, representing 13 conservatories, raised over $30,000 for Maui Wildfire victims by volunteering and sharing their talents at the Music for Maui Benefit Concert and Pop-up Events.

    Ella Mortensen (CV, ‘25)
    Leah Navarro (CV, ‘26)
    Elysse Nguyen (MT, ‘26)
    Saya Nishimura (IM, ‘26)
    Kai Orozco (JS, ‘26)
    Alec Ortega-Fosado (CV, ‘25)
    Caroline Risk (VA, ‘26)
    Xavier Saenze (PM, ‘29)
    Zaid Salazar (CV, ‘26)
    Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24)
    Haley Scott (CW, ‘26)
    Nikki Smith (CV, ‘25)
    Teresa Smith (MT ‘26)
    Adam Strychaz (CAH, ‘26)
    Heather Torres-Cancino (BR, ‘26)
    Alessandra Venegas (CAH, ‘26)
    Sophia Vernon (MT, ‘26)
    Lavinia Watkins (CV, ‘26)
    Aniya Wilkins (ACT, ‘26)
    James Williams (BR, ‘26)
    Jack Wilson (CV, ‘25)
    Paxton Wong (CV, ‘25)
    Cynthia Zhang (BR, ‘27)
  • OCSA Honors Chemistry students earned Fifth Place among all Orange County schools for their combined scores in the First-Year American Chemical Society competition
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    OCSA Honors Chemistry students earned Fifth Place among all Orange County schools for their combined scores in the First-Year American Chemical Society competition
    The following OCSA Honors Chemistry students earned Fifth Place among all Orange County schools for their combined scores in the First-Year American Chemical Society (ACS) competition. They received a team plaque at the ACS banquet.

    Marcello Bui (ACT, ‘26)
    Juneau Foxlin (IM, ‘26) – Top Scorer
    Lila Olson (IA, ‘26)
    Rohan Soni (PM, ‘26)
    Gloria Xiong (IA, ‘26)
    Charlotte Yoh (VA, ‘26)
    Lauren Young (VA, ‘26)
  • Orinoco Foxlin earned multiple awards for technical theatre and vocals at the Musical Theatre Competitions of America
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    Orinoco Foxlin earned multiple awards for technical theatre and vocals at the Musical Theatre Competitions of America
    Orinoco Foxlin (PM, ‘29) earned multiple awards for technical theatre and vocals at the Musical Theatre Competitions of America (MTCA). She won First Place for Vocal Duet, Second Place for Middle School Costume Design, and Third Place for High School Set Design. The concept behind her set and costume designs was an alternate land of Oz where everything was made from candy – inspired in part by Hansel and Gretel.
  • OCSA students raised over $30,000 for Maui Wildfire victims by volunteering and sharing their talents at the Music for Maui Benefit Concert and Pop-up Events
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    OCSA students raised over $30,000 for Maui Wildfire victims by volunteering and sharing their talents at the Music for Maui Benefit Concert and Pop-up Events
    The following OCSA students, representing 13 conservatories, raised over $30,000 for Maui Wildfire victims by volunteering and sharing their talents at the Music for Maui Benefit Concert and Pop-up Events.

    Katie Baker (IM, ‘25)
    Carleigh Beckner (CV, ‘26)
    Hank Braverman (PM, ‘26)
    Olivia Bullock (CV, ‘26)
    Natalia Campos (ACT, ‘27)
    Natalia Caraveo (CV ‘25)
    Tiffany Carr (CV, ‘26)
    Cosi Chekardzhikov (BR, ‘25)
    Trent Chickering (PM, ‘26)
    Grant Conroy (CV, ‘25)
    Ashwin Desai (PM, ‘26)
    Kira Efimenko (DM, ‘26)
    Hayden Ficht (PD, ‘25)
    Caitlin Francisco (PM, ‘25)
    Gianna Gourley (MT, ‘27)
    Reese Guenther-Clark (CV, ‘27)
    Evani Gulati (MT, ‘26)
    Julian Gwin (MT, ‘26)
    Claire Harmsen (PM, ‘26)
    Hanna Heger (CW, ‘26)
    Matthew Henderson (CV, ‘25)
    Zane Hermann (PM, ‘25)
    Lucy Hunter (FTV, ‘26)
    Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
    Alyssa Kim (MT, ‘26)
    Avni Krishnamoorthy (PM, ‘26)
    Emma Ladisky (MT, ‘26)
    Ayn Liu (CAH, ‘26)
    David Liu (CAH, ‘25)
    Liam Majerus (BR, ‘27)
    Sydney Malone (CV, ‘26)
    Rylee Miyoshi (BR, ‘28)
    Paige Morgan (CV, ‘25)