Twenty four PYLUSD high school students identified as 2018 OC Varsity Arts Artist of the Year nominees

On Sunday, March 4, the Orange County Register announced the 2018 OCVarsity Arts Artist of the Year nominees. In total, the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) had 24 students nominated in seven categories —Dance, Film/Animation, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, Theater, 2D Visual Arts, and 3D Visual Arts. The nominees are as follows:

DANCE (2)
– Abigail Llorens, El Dorado High School
– Hannah April Miller, Valencia High School

FILM/ANIMATION (4)
– Brian Kluver, El Dorado High School
– Ashley Martinez, El Dorado High School (pictured above)
– Nicholas Franklyn, Yorba Linda High School
– Alexander Lee, Yorba Linda High School

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC (2)
– Alexander Behura (12), Valencia High School
– Michael Frelly, Yorba Linda High School

VOCAL MUSIC (2)
– Alexander Avila, El Dorado High School (*also nominated in Theater)
– Kelly Kudlik, El Dorado High School

THEATER (7)
– Kelli Nilsen, El Dorado High School
– Alexander Avila, El Dorado High School (*also nominated in Vocal Music)
– Samantha Pietenpol, El Dorado High School
– Sedona Gregg (12), El Dorado High School
– Cooper Summers, Yorba Linda High School
– Ian Demebek, Yorba Linda High School
– Rose Pell, Yorba Linda High School

2D VISUAL ARTS (5)
– Brittany Cotter (12), El Dorado High School
– Courtney Melander, Valencia High School
– Quean Ho, Valencia High School
– McKenna Loveland (11), Valencia High School
– Jose Mejia, Valencia High School

3D VISUAL ARTS (3)
– Parker Spann, El Dorado High School
– Masey Park, Valencia High School
– Moriah Ritchie, Valencia High School

Following these initial nominations, a panel of arts educators will choose the top 10 students in each discipline to move on to a round of in-person interviews.

Congratulations to all of our students nominated and we wish you the best of luck in advancing. To see the full list of Orange County nominees, please follow the link below.

Meet the 2018 nominees for Varsity Arts Artist of the Year

*This article was updated to reflect a change from 26 students nominations, to 24 students nominations.