STATE OF THE ART

U.S. News & World Report released their 2021 national rankings for best high schools, and Orange County School of the Arts was named the 38th best high school in the State of California and the 273rd best high school nationwide. Of the Orange County schools represented on the list, OCSA ranks 3rd in the county.

To view their website, please visit https://bit.ly/2SMHqQZ

Teren Shaffer, Executive Vice President, was featured in an article by the Los Angeles Times Daily Pilot. The article highlights Mr. Shaffer’s appointment to the role.

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)

Aaron Padilla (IM, '21) recently released his EP titled "Stargazing."

Savannah Tweedt (IM, '24) was awarded the School of Rock Scholarship at the 2020 Hit Like A Girl drumming contest.

Zach Hoffman (ACT, '22) was cast in a supporting role in an upcoming Lifetime Television movie.

Visual Arts Conservatory Instructor Brooke Hunter was included in Southwest Art Magazine's 21 Under 31: Young Artists to Watch in 2020.

To view the article, please visit https://bit.ly/3uLlJOs

Over the summer, the following students were honored by the Orange County Register as winners and finalists for the 2020 Artist of the Year.

Computer-Assisted Visual Arts
Mira Hirabayashi (VA, '20): Computer Drawing and Painting Finalist

Dance
Lilah Dee Horton (CMD, '21): Dance Artist of the Year & Commercial Dance Finalist
Kaprice Janae Glen (CCD, '20): Concert Dance Finalist
Maya Alvarez Coyne (CMD, '21): World/Cultural Dance Finalist

Film/Animation
Maggie McKelvey (FTV, '20): Animation and Visual Effects Finalist

Theater
Christina Tinde Jesenski (ACT, '20): Theater Artist of the Year & Acting Finalist

Vocal Music
Catherine Johnston (CV, '21): Classical Voice Finalist

Michael Relth (VA, '04) wrote a children’s book titled Picture Book by a Dog, which tells the story of a dog’s journey to find his forever family.

For more information about the book, please visit https://bit.ly/3cfeOXl

Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) won 3rd place in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National performance competition, after previously winning at the State and Southwest division levels. She will be receiving a $300 award from the MTNA Foundation fund.

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

Sein Yun (IM, ‘22) was selected to participate in a month-long residency in New York City as a violinist for the Carnegie Hall National Youth Orchestra. Sein is among more than 200 artists who have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as the finest young musicians in the country, following a comprehensive and highly selective audition process.

Katelyn Chan (IM, '21) organized a virtual walk-a-thon fundraiser for the Orange County Food Bank and Community Action Partnership of Orange County. The fundraiser generated over $1,700 to help families devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Katelyn also created an ongoing donation page to raise awareness for Luv Michael, an organization dedicated to employing adults on the autism spectrum.

Christine Choi, Special Services Administrative Assistant and conservatory instructor, was featured in an article by the Orange County Department of Education Newsroom about her recent Arts in Special Education Award recognition at the 2021 Orange County Music and Arts Awards. The Arts in Special Education Award honors an educator who delivers exceptional arts instruction to students with disabilities and fosters inclusion in their school community.

West Mulholland (ACT, ‘23) was cast in the role of Axel on season five of "Animal Kingdom" on TNT.

Vice President of Development Cathy Michaels was named a 2021 Woman of Distinction by Senator Tom Umberg and the 34th California Senate District. This award honors outstanding women who exemplify ethical leadership and a commitment to making a positive impact in the community.

Matthew Garbacz (MT, '23) performed alongside actor Scott Adkins in the action/thriller film "Seized," directed by Isaac Florentine.

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.

Orange County School of the Arts was named the #1 Best Charter High School in California by Niche for 2021. Congratulations to the entire OCSA team!

To view all of the school’s 2021 rankings, please visit https://bit.ly/2SUJ4jq

Sein Yun (IM, '22) wrote a grant to start an OCSA Peer Conflict Mediation program and was awarded $2,500 by the Kids Managing Conflict Education Foundation. Sein has created a peer-to-peer mediation app that will be part of the program. Sein has also been appointed co-facilitator of the Restorative Practices Task Force with OCSA Dean of Special Services Dr. Gregory Endelman as part of OCSA’s Antiracism and Inclusion Coalition.

Tane Kim (IM, ‘24) earned 3rd place at the 66th Annual Orange County Science and Engineering Fair (OCSEF) for his research paper titled "Analyzing TCGA Data to Identify Gene Mutations Linked with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Asians."

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)

Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21) won first place in the Schmidt Vocal Competition in Tennessee and received a $2,500 cash award and a $4,000 scholarship to Vanderbilt University.

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

Artist of the Year Winners:
Nolan Hieu Trifunovic (FTV, ‘21) - Film and Animation
Catherine Johnston (CV, ‘21) - Vocal Music
Ariyah Brown (ACT, ‘22) - Theater
Brian Lin (IM, ‘21) - Instrumental Music (Alto Sax)

OCSA was among four charter schools selected statewide to be recognized as a Charter School of Excellence in Special Education by the El Dorado Charter Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA).

Leslie Diamant (IM, '23) received a perfect score of 5 on the AP Human Geography exam during her freshman year.

Kaitlyn Chu (VA, '17) wrote a children's book titled Smiling from "Ear to Ear," which explains mask wearing to children. She was featured in this article by CBS LA.

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”

Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) became the grand prize winner of the Mount San Antonio College Solo Competition. She also won first place in the Middle School Division of the competition.

Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) won 3rd place in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National performance competition, after previously winning at the State and Southwest division levels. She will be receiving a $300 award from the MTNA Foundation fund.

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

Violet Adams (VA, ‘24) received an honorable mention for her watercolor painting in the U.S. House of Representatives 2021 Congressional Art Competition. U.S. Representative Young Kim, representing California’s 39th District, presented the award.

James Yi (CW, ‘24) was offered a Scholastic Awards Summer (SAS) Scholarship to attend Writopia Lab’s Full-Day Camp.

Kiana Keli`i (IM, ‘21) was one of 10 nominees selected from the South Region as a finalist for the California Scholarship Federation Seymour Memorial Award. She was then honored as the South Region winner for her dedication to service, academics, and raising awareness of the cultural diversity of Pacific Islanders.

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)

The following students received a cumulative total of 113 gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Dancesport category at the West Coast Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games. Some dancers also represented OCSA as Junior Olympic Ambassadors.

Hannah Ayala (BR, ‘23)
Jude Camaya (BR, ‘23) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Gabriel Cho (BR, ‘24) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Presley Herthel (BR, ‘27)
Jack Hillebrecht (BR, ‘27)
Grace Kim (BR, ‘22) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Jared Lee (BR, ‘23) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Natalia Lin (BR, ‘22) - Junior Olympic Ambassador and National Anthem Vocalist
Sophie Ma (BR, ‘23) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Colton McCann (BR, ‘22) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Isabelle Miranda (BR, ‘21)
Samantha Okada-Lam (BR, ‘26)
Aurelia Philmore (BR, ‘24)
Marina Pitt (BR, ‘27)
Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Meghan Reardon (BR, ‘24)
Ambria Shields (BR, ‘27)
Brody Silva (BR, ‘25)
Sean Sulit (BR, ‘24)
Jeffrey Tadeo (BR, ‘22)
Jericho Tran-Faypon (BR, ‘22) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Hana Uehara (BR, ‘23) - Junior Olympic Ambassador
Celeste Valadez (BR, ‘24)
Alexander Vargas (BR, ‘24)
Melissa Yan (BR, ‘23)

Aashna Rana (CV, ‘23) participated in the VOCE 2021 Festival and won 1st Place Alternate in the Solo Competitive 14-15 Year Old Division.

Jacki Vellandi (ACT, ‘22) was awarded first place in the Playwriting category at the International Thespian Excellence Awards for her play "Reverie" and received the Grace Kelly Scholarship.

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

Sammie Gee (CAH, ‘24) was recognized for culinary excellence, artistry, presentation, and service for original handcrafted hors d'oeuvres at OC Wonderland.

Matthew Anderson (IM, ‘23) was selected as a 2021 Performing Arts Scholarship winner by the Friends of Cypress Cultural Arts organization. He was awarded a $450 scholarship for the performance of Scherzo Fantastique by Alfred Reed on bass clarinet.

The following students placed in the California Restaurant Foundation’s Prostart Cup Competition and competed against 27 other high schools and 194 students.

Culinary:
Wienerschnitzel's Dress Your Dog Competition
1st place: Madison "Star" Lu (CAH, ‘22)
2nd place: Naya Garg (CAH, ‘24)

Taco Throwdown
2nd place: Naya Garg (CAH, ‘24)

Cupcake Bake-Off
2nd place: Natalie Dixon (CAH, ‘22)

Management:
Create + Curate: Original Menu
1st place: Isabella Vegh (CAH, ‘21)

Branding Challenge: Logo + Marketing
1st place: Isabella Vegh (CAH, ‘21)
3rd place: Madison "Star" Lu (CAH, ‘22)

Design Challenge: Floorplan + Decor
1st place: Isabella Vegh (CAH, ‘21)
2nd place: Madison "Star" Lu (CAH, ‘22)

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

Classical Semifinalists:
Leo Sui (IM, ‘23)

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

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

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)

Zoe McCuen (DM, ‘19) illustrated the book Kid and the Magic Orb, which is now available on Amazon. Zoe was also featured in an article on the CalArts blog. To read the article, visit: https://bit.ly/3jfnYag

Zach Willis (MT, '25) booked a guest starring role on Disney Channel's "Bunk'd."

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.

Sage Gonzales Lambert (BF, '21) competed in the Latin Mirage Ultimate Soloist Competition and received first place in both the Ballet Folklórico (Sinaloa) and International Samba categories, and second place in the Ballet Folklórico (Campeche) category. She also received a special award for producer's choice and choreography.

Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22) won the National Talk and Mend Asian American Storytelling Competition. Anjal filmed, directed, and edited a short film depicting the struggles of the South Asian community in the United States. This film offered potential solutions to combating racial prejudice and bridged the gap between racial communities. Anjal also won the $2,000 Outstanding High School Project award in the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes’ Discovery Award competition for her project “From Asylums to Institutions: Samuel Gridley Howe's Unsung Perpetuation of Anti-Ableism.”

Elsa Chang (VA, ‘06) participated in a Comic-Con@Home panel for her work on “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse” and the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. To view the full panel, please visit: https://bit.ly/3gwDwVB

Andy Choi's (CW, ‘22) debut novel, "Slow Hot," has been published by Schism Press. Set in a near-distant, near-dystopian world where everyone has alphanumeric names and chip implants are commonplace, "Slow Hot" explores the main character’s journey through an over-commercialized world and their longing to connect with a Korea of the past.

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

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

Classical Voice Conservatory faculty members Dr. Ryan Reithmeier, Heather Reithmeier, and Robert Norman were featured on a new world-premiere recording of Walter Jurmann's "Windy City," released by the Operetta Foundation in their “Musicals Lost & Found” series.

Maya Alvarez-Coyne (CMD, ‘21) was crowned Miss California’s Outstanding Teen and received first place in both talent and interview categories.

Hannah Cho (IM, '25) won first prize in the middle school wind division in the East Coast International Music Competition.

Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) was one of only 15 oboists chosen from an international applicant pool to participate in the 2021 Juilliard Summer Winds program.

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)

The following students participated in the Fred Astaire World Championships and received the following awards.

Amateur Championship Youth Smooth
1st Place: Jacqueline Artinian (BR, ‘22) and Lucas McCollum Van Hoosear (BR, ‘22)
2nd Place: Jude Camaya (BR, ‘23) and Meghan Reardon (BR, ‘24)

Pro-Am Open Smooth Scholarship
1st Place: Jacqueline Artinian (BR, ‘22)
2nd Place: Lucas McCollum Van Hoosear (BR, ‘22)

Youth Amateur Jr. Open Smooth Scholarship
1st Place: Jude Camaya (BR, ‘23) and Meghan Reardon (BR, ‘24)

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"

Joy Baik’s (VA, ‘19) illustration work was published in the book "In All of Your Days Have You Seen the Ways an Animal Plays an Instrument?" by Lisa Baker.