STATE OF THE ART

Katia Miyamoto (CW, ‘24) published her first book, “The Undertow of Healing,” through Atmosphere Press. The book tells the story of one town’s grief and the choices made after a tragic loss. To read more about the book, please visit: https://bit.ly/3t5EeT7

Tane Kim (IM, ‘24) was published in The Oncologist as a co-author for the paper “Real-World Outcomes of Latinx Versus Non-Latinx Patients Treated with First-Line Immunotherapy for Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma,” in collaboration with UCLA and City of Hope oncologists.

Julia Zhou (CV, ‘28) received Honorable Mention at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Student Evaluation Program (SEP). NATS SEP is a great opportunity for student singers to perform before a panel of NATS adjudicators in a positive and constructive format.

Julie Mejer (IA, ‘29) won First Place in her age group for piano at the LA Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition. She also won Third Place at the Charleston 19th Century Music Competition and a Special Mention in her age group for the London International Music Competition.

The following students were honored at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) State Competitions, where musicians from California are offered the chance to advance nationally within their instrumental category. John Hallberg, saxophone instructor, produced winners in both the Junior and Senior Woodwind categories of the competition.

Hannah Cho (IM): Winner; California Senior Performance Woodwind (Oboe)
Rubi Lee (IM, ‘25): Honorable Mention; California Senior Performance String (Violin)
Darren Qiu (IM, ‘24): Alternate; California Senior Performance Woodwind (Saxophone)
Natalie Xu (IM, ‘29): Honorable Mention; California Junior Performance String (Violin)

Ballet, Pilates, & Yoga instructor Lauren Farris was accepted into the American Ballet Theater (ABT)’s invite-only Teaching Training Intensive at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. In the program, Ms. Farris will learn the theory and principles of the National Training Curriculum within the five levels of ballet.

Logan Bailey (MT, ‘29) voiced the role of Pandy Paws in Dreamworks’ animated series “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” Logan became the new voice of the character starting in season 8 of the Netflix series.

Noelani Pese (MT, ‘26) was named Miss California Jr. Teen 2023-2024 and was the first person of Samoan heritage crowned in the pageant’s history.

Olivia Le (CW, ‘25) won the AutoEthnographer Student Scholarship for her collection of poems, “Born from Boat People.” She received a monetary award, publication, and was offered many other opportunities, such as participation in the AutoEthnographer podcast and the chance to help develop a column/feature for their magazine. Olivia was also the recipient of the Amanda Gorman Future Voices Poetry Prize offered by Beyond Baroque. This prize is open to high school students of color in California and awarded based on poetry/essay submissions that align with Amanda Gormon’s commitment to social change. Lastly, Olivia was asked by Get Lit to record a poem she wrote for the Women’s Journey Foundation at Load Bearing Studios in Santa Ana. This poem will be sent out to at-risk girls nationwide.

Ella He (IM, ‘27), Sydney Lee (IM, ‘26), and Xander Shah (IM, ‘28) participated and performed at the Cal State LA Harp Pedagogy Mini-Conference, an annual event that features a variety of presentations and recitals focused on this graceful instrument.

Jordan Held (FTV, ‘23) was awarded the Outstanding Young Filmmaker Short at the 2023 Newport Beach Film Festival for her film “Ovaryacting.” She also won the Young Filmmakers Competition at the 2023 Austin Film Festival. Jordan was featured in an article by KVUE, Austin’s ABC affiliate, alongside Caleb Malis (IA, ‘23), who was the lead actor in the film. To read the article, please visit: https://bit.ly/46LHjWf

Richard Arlo Kinsey, an instructor in the El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory who is also an illustrator, recently had the characters he created and fondly named “Purdee & Pals” adapted into a short animated film called “Baby Bee’s Boots," produced by Eden Films LTD in London. In addition, the film won Best Animation Short at the London Independent Film Awards.

Max Zazik (ACT, ‘29) was cast as Turkey Boy in South Coast Repertory’s “A Christmas Carol” in Costa Mesa.

Jovie Leigh Ugerio (ACT, ‘27) received the Best Young Actress Award at the 3rd Annual iHollywood Film Festival for her role in the independent feature film “Free Lunch.” Jovie performed the role of Sadie, the mischievous new transfer that influences the main character, Sam, to step outside of his comfort zone.

Grace Lam (IM, ‘29) won a Gold Medal at the 2023 Southern California Junior Bach Festival Complete Works Auditions at Cal State University, Long Beach. The award qualified her to perform at the Complete Works Audition Awards Concert where all first place winners performed.

Adrienne Morrow (MT, ‘25) was cast as Louisa in “The Sound of Music” at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, presented by Musical Theatre West.

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)

Janice Lee (ACT, ‘29) starred in a Hershey Company commercial featuring Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kat for the Halloween season. The commercial originally aired in 2022 and was later renewed for 2023. To watch the commercial, please visit: https://bit.ly/472e0it

Creative Writing Conservatory instructor Megan Friess had her teaching narrative, titled “Teaching Rhetoric Without a License,” published in a collection called “Threshold Conscripts: Rhetoric and Composition Teaching Assistantships.” The collection explores the diversity and complexity of universities through the lens of teaching assistants (TA) and how different collegiate programs help shape TA identities and practices.

Anthony Arreola (BF, ‘24) was offered the opportunity to be a dance instructor at Relámpago del Cielo Grupo Folklórico. Relámpago del Cielo, which means “Lightning from the Sky,” focuses on “bringing the thunder” through intricate performances based on the traditions of the folkloric dance of Mexico.

Noah Flores (VA, ‘28) and his baseball team, The Dirtbags, won the SoCal Intermediate Tournament of Champions in June, capping off their undefeated season 18-0. In July, Noah also took Third Place in the 13-and-under Small Ball category at the United States Handball Association (USHA) Junior Three Wall National Tournament. In addition, he received First Place in the Big Ball Doubles category of the Junior Vasquez State Three Wall Championship.

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.

Ethan Baker (IA, ‘26) won the Junior Division Gold Medal at the Orange Coast Mixed Foil Competition in Santa Ana. Foil is one of three types of weaponry used in the sport of fencing.

Juliet Garbacz (MT) moved to London, England to attend The Upper School at the Royal Ballet. This school, accredited by the University of Roehampton, allows students ages 16-19 to train in classical ballet and eventually earn a BA in Classical Ballet and Dance Performance. Around 100 students representing 17 different countries attend each school year.

Ryley Gamez (PD, ‘24) played scare-actor Catawampus this fall at Knott’s Scary Farm and was featured in the Origins: Curse of Calico Maze. The costume, weighing twenty pounds, required six-inch platform shoes and a five-pound head.

Social Studies instructor and Model United Nations club advisor Lana Sawalha was named an Outstanding Educator by the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Ms. Sawalha received this honor due to her excellent educational leadership skills and her efforts to enter multiple OCSA student projects in the 2023 National Discovery Award Competition, which gives students in grades 4-12 the opportunity to use their creative talents to tell the remarkable stories of unsung heroes who have inspired change.

Aubrey Banaag (BCD, ‘27) was accepted into the Royal Ballet School of London, England, where she trained for two weeks over the summer. Of the 28 students accepted worldwide into this program, Aubrey was one of five from the USA and the only student from California. Aubrey also won Third Place in the Junior Classical Dance category in the San Diego regional competition of the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).

Maggie Moland (ACT, ‘24) was cast as Regan MacNeil in John Pielmeier’s new stage adaptation of the novel “The Exorcist,” performed at Golden West College Theater.

West Mulholland (ACT, ‘23) was cast in the role of Mitch Crenshaw in MGM and David Slade’s Halloween horror film “Dark Harvest.” This movie takes place in a midwestern town in the 1960’s, where teenagers must ensure a good harvest by spending every Halloween hunting down a mythical creature. The movie premiered in select theatres and is now available on streaming services.

Alexa Wildish (MT, ‘06) performed on season 24 of “The Voice” and all the coaches turned toward her as she sang a rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird.” Alexa was chosen to be on Niall Horan’s team and made it to the Playoff episode.

Jamie Jung (CW, ‘24) received a $500 Honorable Mention in the 2023 Discovery Award Competition through the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. For the competition, Jamie recited a 10-minute monologue on Marth Lum and the fight to end school segregation for Chinese Americans in the 1920’s.

Milo Karnes (IA, ‘24) and Abbi Park (CW, ‘24) earned perfect scores on their AP Research exam, making them part of a select group of only 1.26% of students worldwide who received this distinction.

Science instructors and Science Olympiad coaches Jessica Daniel and Heather Jonson were featured alongside their Science Olympiad students in a promotional television spot sponsored by L’Oreal Paris, which premiered during “LEGO Masters” on FOX. The video spotlights women in STEM. To watch, please visit: https://bit.ly/3sYs9zc

Science instructor and Science Olympiad coach Heather Jonson was invited by NASA to attend the launch of their Psyche mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The goal of the Psyche mission is to send a spacecraft to a unique metal asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

Miley Jane Gavarrete (MT, ‘26) was cast in the Broadway On Tour Youth Theater’s production of “Les Misérables” in July 2023 at the Ebell Theater of Santa Ana.

Jiin Yun (CW, ‘24) was featured in the Orange County Register for her recycling program that has gone national. She started a non-profit called the Recycling Dictionary that holds workshops across Orange County to educate younger students about smart recycling practices. In addition, Jiin authored a children’s book about recycling and developed an app that offers details on whether and how to recycle more than 500 common items. To read more, please visit: https://bit.ly/3t4XxvJ

Alisa Melendez (MT, ‘16) was cast as the lead of Sophie in the “Mamma Mia!” San Diego Tour. She was also featured in San Diego Magazine in an article that highlights her journey as a stage performer and her passion for her hometown of San Diego. To read the San Diego Magazine article, please visit: https://bit.ly/3TdKPFz

The following students were named semifinalists for the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic scholarship competition, where students can receive recognition and university scholarships. Semifinalists are recognized for their academic and extracurricular achievements, putting these students in a pool of less than 1% of high schoolers in the nation.

Edward Chen (IA, ‘24)
Katherine Given (ACT, ‘24)
Joseph Ho (IM, ‘24)
Tane Kim (IM, ‘24)
Katerina Malabarba (CW, ‘24)
Elise Park (FTV, ‘24)
Aadya Sharma (IM, ‘24)
Nathan Tatsuta (IM, ‘24)
Luke Toner (IM, ‘24)
Jeffrey Yang (CV, ‘24)
Lacole Yang (CW, ‘24)
James Yi (CW, ‘24)
Xinchun Zhang (IM, ‘24)

For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/41cHgkX

Samuel Chung (IM, ‘25) was invited to play tenor saxophone at the Herbie Hancock Institute’s annual All-Star Concert Gala in New York, one of the most prestigious national jazz events.

Acting instructor and past director of OCSA Thespians Donald Amerson and Acting instructor and current director of OCSA Thespians Vanessa Cortez, along with Tessa Espinola (ACT, ‘25), Mia Geise (MT, ‘24), Atalia Lewis (MT, ‘24), Maggie Moland (ACT, ‘24), attended the International Thespian Festival (ITF) at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. ITF is a week-long showcase where young thespians can take workshops and show off their skills. At the festival, Atalia won an award for Solo Musical and Maggie won an award for Solo Acting.

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.

Cristian Fatu, an instructor in the Instrumental Music Conservatory – Strings & Orchestra Program, was featured on the cover of the See Beyond Magazine September/October 2023 Edition. The corresponding article focused on his career and the challenges and triumphs he has experienced as a musician. To read the article, please visit: https://bit.ly/48o02sj

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

Nicole Morris (MT, ‘16) was featured on Spectrum News 1 for her involvement as an ensemble cast member in the “Les Misérables” Southern California tour, which performed at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts this past year. In her interview, she spoke about her early love for the theatre, friendships she has made on tour, and her other stage experiences. To watch/read more, please visit: https://bit.ly/47Msns6

Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) was named one of the Best U.S. High Schools for 2023-2024 by US News & World Report. OCSA was ranked #38 in California and #264 in the nation. For full rankings, please visit: https://bit.ly/2SMHqQZ

The following students represented OCSA at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar at the University of San Diego. This event is a three-day leadership development program that empowers attendees to make positive changes in their communities.

Skylar Christensen (MT, ‘25)
Natalie Hoffman (CW, ‘25)
Ella West Jerrier (FTV, ‘25)
Sky Keyoung (CV, ‘25)
Caitlin Kim (ACT, ‘25)
Isabella Kim (ACT, ‘25)
Abriella Nicolalde (MT, ‘25)

William Chung (PD, ‘26) won Third Place in the Junior Boy’s Team tournament of the 15th Annual All United States Kendo Federation National Championships at Oakland University in Michigan. Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art that uses bamboo swords as well as protective armor.

Albert Hacker (IM, ‘26) and Vincent Hacker (IM, ‘28) were invited to Carnegie Hall to perform piano and violin, respectively, in the Winners’ Concert for the American Association for Development of the Gifted and Talented (AADGT) Passion of Music Festival. The AADGT music festival is an opportunity for young musicians around the world to get integrated into the classical music world and spread its culture. Albert also earned First Place in the International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington, D.C.

Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) was voted the Best Charter School in Orange County for 2023 in the 21st Annual Reader’s Choice Award from Parenting OC Magazine. To view all of the Reader’s Choice Awards, please visit: https://bit.ly/3GBmORe

Stephanie Dorian Smith, Assistant Director of The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory, was recognized as a 2023-2024 Individual Artist Fellow and awarded an Established Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council through Arts Orange County (ArtsOC). This program was developed to recognize, uplift, and celebrate the excellence of California artists and culture bearers. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/3RvNF6H

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.

Zeen Zhou (IM, ‘29) was invited to perform as a violin soloist for the Irvine Classical Players at the Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna. Zeen was the youngest violin soloist in the entire 2023 festival.

Jenny Wang (VA, ‘25) won First Place in the Youth Division at the 2023 International Comic-Con Masquerade Contest for her creative skit and handmade costume. This competition was viewed and judged by a crowd of over 7,000 people. To read more about her work, check out the OCSA Blog: https://bit.ly/3Tv6f1p

Skyler Tran (IM, ‘28) and Sterling Tran (IM, ‘27) competed in the 9th Carmel Klavier International Piano Competition for Young Artists in Carmel, Indiana. They performed alongside 200 other contestants from around the world. Skyler won Second Prize in Intermediate Concerto and Third Prize in Intermediate Solo. Sterling won First Prize in Advanced Concerto and First Prize in Advanced Solo.

Hennah Kim (CW, ‘25) was runner-up in the New York Times’ 10th Annual Editorial Contest for her essay, titled “Microplastic Is Enveloping the Earth and My Pajamas Are Helping.” Her piece focused on how microplastics are entangled in our daily lives and their impact on our environment. To read her editorial, please visit: https://bit.ly/3NgVaNr

Kate Um (CV, ‘24) was awarded the Silver Prize in Voice at the Elite International Music Competition in New York. Kate also performed as part of the Winners’ Recital at Carnegie Hall. The Elite International Music Competition is an annual event that accommodates pianists and all instrumentalists, vocalists, and small chamber ensembles ages 6 through 22.

Pedro Pascal (MT, ‘93) was featured in People Magazine’s “100 Reasons to Love America in 2023” as number 47 for “owning his moment.” The article focused on a mix of summer fun, natural beauty, inspiring moments, and opportunities for celebration. Pedro was also nominated for the following three 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in “The Last of Us,” Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting “Saturday Night Live,” and Outstanding Narrator for “Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World.”

Ethan Leung (DM, ‘23) was accepted to the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) for animation.

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.

President & CEO Teren Shaffer was featured in “Modern Luxury” magazine’s “The Power List,” which features the top 50 trailblazers in leadership from Orange County. To read his feature, please visit: https://bit.ly/3Occmlf