STATE OF THE ART

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OCSA Visual Arts Conservatory students were featured in an article in the Orange County Register about their Annual Painted Pumpkin Auction fundraising event. The article highlighted the Visual Arts students' creativity and talent. View the article here: https://bit.ly/3OXhJH6

Cole Frederick (IM, ‘16), Matthew Jarnagin (FTV, ‘15), Matisse Pasillas (FTV, ‘15), Nicholas Stone (IM, ‘15), and Christopher Trimmer (IM, ‘12), also known as the pop group Undecided Future, performed at the American Cancer Society Festival at the Anaheim Convention Center in celebration of cancer survivors and in honor of those that have lost their lives to cancer.

Alyssa Carol (MT, ‘19) performed in the North American tour of “Back to the Future: The Musical.” Alyssa was cast as Babs in the ensemble cast and had the opportunity to play the lead, Lorraine, during the tour’s appearance at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. The tour also stopped by two Southern California venues, Pantages Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Brian Yan (VA, ‘27), who founded the US Highlight International Art Center Foundation, was recognized by a State Senator of California for hosting the 2024 Highlight International Art Festival. The festival brought together a diverse community from all ages and ethnic groups to participate in the exhibition. Brian and other local artists put on a celebratory performance at the art festival, and selected how to award the most popular work through month-long online voting.

Ava Villacorta (MT, ‘27) and her group Mālama were selected as one of the Dragon Kim Challenge Finalists for 2024. Ava, alongside team members who attend different high schools, created Mālama to help combat elderly loneliness and depression and promote joy and community by hosting Polynesian arts performances in elderly care facilities.

Mia Yang (IA, ‘27) won First Place in the International Youth Art Competition at The Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival. The second-annual event focused on watercolor in contemporary art and bridging artists from Italy, China, and other countries worldwide.

Jovie Ugerio (ACT, ‘27) starred in the award-winning movie “Free Lunch,” which was released on Amazon Prime.

Mitt Wu (IM, ‘26) won First Place in the VOCE Competition – San Gabriel Branch and was invited to play in the 2024 Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) State Convention. VOCE is a prestigious competition for vocalists, strings, winds/brass, and chamber music at the Regional and State levels.

Elle Scord’s (PM, ‘25) research paper in neurobiology, titled “Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Tau Pathology and Disease Progression in Alzheimer’s Disease and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Deciphering Molecular Characteristics for Therapeutic Target” was peer-reviewed and published. In her analysis of the molecular pathology linked to these diseases, Elle identified four promising molecular targets to inform therapeutic interventions for tau-related neurodegenerative disease.

Sailee Charlu (CW, ‘27) was named a Scholarship Awardee in the MyImpact Challenge, The Bill of Rights Institute’s National Civics Contest. Sailee was also awarded the Gold Winner of the International Golden Classical Awards for her solo piano performance at Carnegie Hall and two Yale Mock Trial Association Awards – Top Witness and Top Attorney.

Elizabeth Bancroft (BR, ‘26), Stella Mulholland (CAH, ‘26), and Talia Rosenblatt (AE, ‘26) created the nonprofit organization Meal Mentors, which offers culinary workshops, medical advocacy, and socioemotional support for teens with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Meal Mentors team received the 2025 Honored Heroes of the Orange County Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation for their work with IBD pediatric patients.

Shaylin Bau (IM, ‘27), Jiwon Chung (IM, ‘27), Kira Efimenko (DM, ‘26), Avni Krishnamoorthy (PM, ‘26), and Sydney Malone (CV, ‘26) created Sing Out, a nonprofit afterschool program designed to provide vocal training for aspiring singers at Orange County Educational Arts Academy (OCEAA). Their goal is to build confidence in aspiring vocalists of all skill levels by developing vocal technique and stage presence with cost-free guidance from student mentors in an inclusive, collaborative, and supportive environment. Their team of student volunteers consisted of Tiffany Carr (CV, ‘26), Ellen Elkins (PM, ‘25) Alyssa Kim (MT, ‘26), Iz Le (PM, ‘26), Brianna Liauw (DM, ‘27), Milo Pack (IA, ‘28) and Cal Thornhill (PM, ‘25). The Sing Out team plans to expand the program, offering more performance opportunities and workshops, while continuing to mentor and support the next generation of young singers.

The following students were recognized as 2025 YoungArts Winners by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements. YoungArts Award Winners receive a monetary award of $250, and Winners 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.

Classical
Ariana Kim (IM, ‘26) - Bassoon (Winner with Distinction)
Jaden Kim (IM, ‘25) - Violin
Jiyu Lee (IM, ‘26) - Violin

Dance
Carissa Hsu (BCD, ‘26) - Modern/Contemporary (Winner with Distinction)
Jasmine Lee (CMD, ‘26) - Hip-Hop (Winner with Distinction)
Arianna Ramirez (BF, ‘26) - World Dance: Mexican Folkloric
Jadon Vo (CMD, ‘25) - Hip-Hop

Design
Chaeyeon Kim (VA, ‘27)
Jennifer Kim (VA, ‘25) - Winner with Distinction

Film
Victoria Pham (DM, ‘25) - Winner with Distinction
Alisha Zhao (DM, ‘25)

Jazz
Samuel Chung (IM, ‘25) - Saxophone/Tenor
Nicholas Doan (IM, ‘24) - Double Bass
Allie Molin (IM, ‘25) - Trumpet

Voice
Isabella Both (MT, ‘25) - Popular
Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) - Popular (Winner with Distinction)
Isabella Le (PM, ‘26) - Singer-Songwriter
Joules Recana (PM, ‘25) - Popular
Viveka Saravanan (CV, ‘24) - Classical

Writing
Olivia Le (CW, ‘25) - Spoken Word (Winner with Distinction)
Lana Lee (IA, ‘26) - Spoken Word
Chloe Woo (IM, ‘27) - Nonfiction
Chloe Yang (CW, ‘27) - Nonfiction (Winner with Distinction)

Allie Molin (IM, ‘25) was selected to tour with the Herbie Hancock Institute National Peer-to-Peer All-Star Jazz Sextet, including renowned jazz recording artist Don Braden. The program is one of the most prestigious jazz education programs in the country.

Kaitlyn Tice, Community Engagement Coordinator and Conservatory Instructor, spent 10 days in Verona, Italy attending the University of Verona’s Shakespeare and the Mediterranean International Summer School and the Verona Shakespeare Fringe Festival. After receiving an OCSA Artist Teacher Fellowship, Ms. Tice was able to study alongside fellow Shakespeare scholars from 20 different countries. She was also able to take a tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London with Research Fellow and Professor Dr. Lucy Holehouse of the Royal Holloway, University of London.

Zoya Kolapalli (IA, ‘30) was named 2024 Junior Olympic All American First Team for her performance with the Patriot Water Polo Club. Zoya also took home the Gold with her team in the Kap7 Water Polo Champions Cup Girls Division.

Aarav Putrevu (CAH, ‘26) published a culinary workbook for kids titled “Gourmet Gurus.” Aarav’s work equips kids with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their food and prepare affordable, tasty, and nutritious meals. The aim of “Gourmet Gurus” was not only to inspire students' taste for the culinary arts, but also to empower them to appreciate a rich variety of cultural and ethnic cuisines while preparing healthy meals that satiate both mind and body.

Vedant Dayal (CW, ‘25) and Ashima Sharma (CW, ‘25) started a program called Heart-to-Art! This initiative brings the joy of expressive arts, such as dance, acting, visual arts, guitar, singing, creative writing, and drums, to pediatric cancer patients, survivors, and their families in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas. Over 2,000 kids have already experienced the magic of creativity thanks to their work. They originally earned a $5,000 grant from the Dragon Kim Fellowship during spring 2024. Vedant and Ashima went on to win the top prize at the Dragon Kim Challenge, held at the Margaret A. Webb Theatre, where they were awarded an additional $5,000 to expand the Heart-to-Art program.

Kiara Widjaja (IA, ‘27) won First Place in the Open Elite Teen 15-17 division for her aerial rope performance at the West Coast Aerial Arts Festival (WCAAF). The 12th season of the WCAAF four-day aerial competition event was open to students, performers, professionals, enthusiasts, and families who want to showcase their talents as aerial artists.

Logan Bailey (MT, ‘29) continued his role as Pandy Paws in the 10th season of Dreamworks’ “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” which can be viewed on Netflix. Logan was also featured in three songs, “Bad Day,” “Better Together,” and “Christmas Together,” from “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” In addition, he was featured in an episode of the “Bedtime Stories – MerCat’s Mermaid Sleepover” podcast.

Taran Silverthistle (CW, ‘26) was a recipient of the Workforce Readiness Initiative at the Boys & Girls Club of America. Taran far exceeded the volunteer hours needed to receive the award due to his dedication in his club’s performing arts program. In addition, he also received recognition as one of the Youth Of The Month, representing his local Boys & Girls Club of Huntington Valley.

Charlize Patmon (ACT, ‘27) starred in “My Own Hair,” a short film based on the true story of Renda Pettis, a Kinesiology professor at Biola University, and the pushback and punishment she received for wearing her natural hair to middle school in the 1960’s.

Summer Brennan (PM, ‘25) released two original songs in 2024, “Hear Me” and “Pretty,” with an upcoming EP set to be released in spring 2025. Both songs can be streamed on all major streaming platforms. Watch a live performance of “Pretty” here: https://bit.ly/4fg7997

Robert Timothy Smith (ACT, ‘29) was casted as Liam Turner in the movie “Dear Santa,” co-starring Jack Black. Robert was also cast in the Disney+ series, “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.”

Noelani Pese (MT, ‘26) was named National American Miss Junior Teen for 2023-2024. Noelani was previously Miss California Junior Teen 2023-2024.

Miley Jane Gavarrete (MT, ‘26) was cast as Frieda in the Chino Community Children’s Theatre production of “Carrie: The Musical.” The stage version of the horror classic ran from late October to early November 2024 at the Seventh Street Community Theater.

Brent Cho (ACT, ‘27) and Ellie Yoshino (BCD, ‘27) created a nonprofit organization called B.E. Partners in Art. The organization’s goal is to spread the love of art to communities and children who have limited art opportunities due to disabilities or economic difficulties. Brent and Ellie partnered with Beyond Blindness, a long-time pioneer in education for children with disabilities, to run a few summer camps and are planning future art activities.

Nathaniel Sprague (IM, ‘26) won First Place in his division at the Fourth Barum International Piano Competition at California State University, Long Beach. As a First Place winner, he also was awarded a cash prize.

Sebastian Chang, Instrumental Music Conservatory Instructor in the Pianist Program, performed in the second live score presentation of the classic silent film “Nosferatu” with the Louisville Orchestra. The haunting score uses different motifs to represent different characters in this iconic 1922 film.

Eliana Chong (DM, ‘28), Akari Kobayashi (DM, ‘28), Abby Liu (DM, ‘28), Jewel Min (DM, ‘28), and Luvelle Prakarsa (DM, ‘28) participated in the 24 Hours Animation Contest by Legends Animated. Their group created a 30-second short film that deals with the impact of AI on the future of art.

Natalie Xu (IM, ‘29) won First Place in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) State Competition in the Junior Strings category for violin.

Delila George-Taylor (BR, ‘29) ranked in the top three of figure skaters in Southern California. She also won 14 gold medals during the 2024 figure skating season.

Mia Soumbasakis (CW, ‘22) was selected as a playwright for the 49th Pilipinx Cultural Night (PCN), a student-run theatrical production and the longest running cultural show at University of California, Berkeley. PCN allows participants to explore their Pilipinx identity through creative mediums such as dancing, acting, and music.

Clara Han (BCD, ‘28) and Kristin Yee (CMD, ‘28) were cast in “The Fire Within,” choreographed by Anna Hirko, which was performed as part of the 2024 Reconstruct Exhibition at The Alex Theatre in Glendale.

Commercial Dance Conservatory students performed at the prestigious Palm Desert Choreography Festival, where they competed against college and professional dancers from around the world. The festival was adjudicated by college deans, Hollywood agents, industry choreographers, and major dance donors. Students were also able to take free master classes from nationally recognized choreographers. Read the featured article on the event here: https://bit.ly/49AR7Fy

Sofia Malone (ACT, ‘27), Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23), and Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25) wrote and starred in the short film “The Lethe.” This sci-fi film is about three college students who create a memory-altering device, but clash over the intended uses of their ground-breaking invention. The film was accepted into multiple film festivals, including the LA Shorts International Film Festival, Los Angeles Lift Off Film Festival, and Around International Film Festival Berlin. The film was awarded Best Thriller at the LA Film Awards, as well as Best Picture at the Old Towne Film Festival, held at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana.

Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) was featured in a photo essay in the Orange County Register that highlighted Halloween festivities throughout Orange County. The piece included photos of OCSA’s annual costume contest and “Thriller” flash mob dance. View it here: https://bit.ly/3ZwZQUM

The following Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) students placed in or won their divisions in the annual National Association of Teachers of Singing - Los Angeles (NATS-LA) Student Evaluations Program.

High School Commercial All Voices
Sydney Sublette (CV, ‘26) - First Place
Liam Posos (CV, ‘28) - Honorable Mention

Lower High School Classical High Voices
Willow Wu (CV, ‘27) - Third Place
Reese Guenther Clark (CV, ‘27) - Honorable Mention

Lower High School Classical Treble
Olivia Song (CV, ‘28) - First Place
Lubaina Habib (CV, ‘28) - Second Place
Simi Goyal (CV, ‘28) - Third Place

Lower High School Musical Theatre Treble
Leila Woodward (CV, ‘26) - First Place

Musical Theatre Youth
Keanu Ho (CV, ‘29) - First Place

Upper High School Classical High Voices
Amber Bach (CV, ‘26) - Third Place

Upper High School Classical Lower Voices
Jack Wilson (CV, ‘25) - First Place
Henry Courtney (CV, ‘26) - Second Place
Liam Posos (CV, ‘27) - Third Place

Upper High School Classical Treble
Madison Becerra (CV, ‘25) - First Place
Eliza Tait (CV, ‘25) - Second Place
Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25) - Honorable Mention
Sydney Sublette (CV, ‘26) - Honorable Mention

Upper High School Musical Theatre
Eliza Tait (CV, ‘25) - First Place
Sydney Sublette (CV, ‘26) - Second Place
Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25) - Third Place

Youth Voices Classical
Keanu Ho (CV, ‘29) - First Place

Jacob Jung (IM, ‘29) earned Second Place at the 29th Annual Mojica Judo Invitational. Representing El Toro Judo Club, Jacob competed in the Junior Boys 13-14 division.

Nava Tate (MT, ‘27) made her debut with the Long Beach Symphony, led by music director Eckart Preu, during the RuMBa Foundation Family Concert: Magical Musical Kingdom in October at the Long Beach Terrace Theater. Nava was selected by Maestro Preu to perform as a soloist with over 50 professional world-class musicians. Watch a portion of her performance here: https://bit.ly/41AbgcP

Jack Chen (DM, ‘28) earned the title of National Champion in the Recurve U15 division at the 2024 USA Archery Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) Target Nationals and JOAD U.S. Open.

Gordon Rocks (CW, ‘28) attended the premiere of “Griffin in Summer” at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Gordon starred alongside actors Kathryn Newton, Everett Blunck, Owen Teague, and many others. The movie, written and directed by Nicholas Colia, won the Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, as well as two additional awards – Special Jury Mention for New Narrative Director and Best Screenplay for a U.S. Narrative Feature.

Mikah Toyama (CV, ‘26) won the National College Showcase Tournament with her soccer team, the SoCal Blues, for the 2023-2024 season. Mikah also played for the Laguna United Football Club.

Robert Norman, Classical Voice Instructor, and Ryan Reithmeier, Classical Voice Director, performed solos for the Bach Cantata Series at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange with the Cathedral Choir and Orchestra in October 2024. William Bolin (CV, ‘24) sang in the choir as well.

Amelia Emde (MT, ‘27) was cast in a commercial for C Spire, a wireless carrier company. Watch Amelia in the commercial here: https://bit.ly/3OSJ0KZ

Isabella Both (MT, ‘25) won Third Place at the South Coast Singers’ 2024 Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship Competition. This program provides an opportunity for young Orange County high school vocalists to compete for scholarship money intended to assist them in pursuing their career goals.

The following El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory students received Certificates of Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives for their outstanding volunteer work dedicated to women’s shelters and Native American reservations.

Aiden Lindsay (ACT, ‘27)
Sofia Malone (ACT, ‘27)
Chloelux Phan (ACT, ‘26)
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25)
Sophia Zavala (ACT, ‘27)

The following students were named 2025 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. In order to compete for the scholarship, applicants must complete a detailed application and a written essay, have an outstanding academic record, and demonstrate leadership and service in the community.

Matthew Bay (PD, ‘25)
Yeeun Chung (CW, ‘25)
James Conroy (CV, ‘25)
Estella Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
Hennah Kim (CW, ‘25)
Katherine Kim (CW, ‘25)
Matthew Martono (IM, ‘25)
Samuel Parigela (CW, ‘25)
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT, ‘25)

Moss Perricone (FTV, ‘13) has joined the writing staff for “Saturday Night Live” for the show’s 50th anniversary season. Moss has previously worked as a writer for shows such as “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” the “Beavis and Butthead” reboot, and “Velma.”

Aiden Ahn (FTV, ‘27) received an Honorable Mention in the Korea Daily Student Art & Video Contest for his collaborative video, “A Beacon of Hope: Reviving the Museum.” The video highlights a group of second generation Korean-American high school students as they try to save a Korean-American Museum.

Tess Sacher (CV, ‘26) was selected as one of four Choral Scholars at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. As part of the Cathedral Music Program, Choral & Organ Scholars present a recital at the conclusion of their year of study.