Orange Unified School District is proud to celebrate the outstanding artistic achievements of our students who have been nominated for the Orange County Register’s 2025 High School Artist of the Year awards. These talented young artists represent the best in instrumental music, media arts, and fine arts, demonstrating exceptional creativity, leadership, and dedication to their craft. We are thrilled to recognize their hard work and celebrate their success.
Instrumental Music:
Samuel Mendoza Rodriguez - See artist’s portfolio
“Samuel Rodriguez Mendoza represents the three most important values of our music program: leadership, musicianship and responsibility. As a leader in our marching band, Mr. Mendoza has served as a section leader for the trumpets and as captain of the entire brass section. …As a performer, Mr. Mendoza has consistently played first chair in both our school’s jazz band and wind symphony for two years.” — Alexander Gellatly, Orange High School
Francis Samson
“Truly gifted, Francis is a quality French Horn player performs with All State, SCSBOA, CBDA, and many more ensembles outside of school. Not only is Francis an incredible Horn player, he is also one of my best students in leadership, also performing as our field drum major for shows. His knowledge of repertoire is outstanding, has a true passion for music.” — Edward Corbett, Villa Park High School
Media Arts:
Kenya Cabeza - See artist’s portfolio
“She is especially interested in digital illustration,and often works on commissions or developing original characters. She has an excellent grasp of the principles of art that shines through in her work, and can often be found working collaboratively and offering helpful feedback to other students at lunch time or during class. She has participated in many community art opportunities, including the Chapman University Holocaust Art and Writing contest, and the Northgate Dia de Los Muertos contest.” — Debbyie Jollienau, Orange High School
Mia Saenz
“She is a leader and an inspiration to her peers through her character and her work. Her artists statement says it best: ‘Art is, for me, a celebration of freedom-a vibrant expression where colors and lines blend together without limits. In my creative journey, I open my heart to the world, eager to capture the beauty around me and the feelings that arise within.’” — Sandy Manich, Canyon High School
Carter Diaz de Leon - See artist’s portfolio
“Carter is a Renaissance man who is interested in a broad range of subjects and uses that knowledge to inform his art. He loves problem-solving, whether it’s a puzzle, an item to be fixed, or helping a friend. That is reflected in both his choice of sustained investigation for his AP Drawing portfolio and the video game he’s developing on his own time, both of which focus on helping others solve social issues such as loneliness and disconnection.” — Debbyie Jollineau, Orange High School
Sol Gallardo - See artist’s portfolio
“Marisol’s whimsical characters and storytelling are a hallmark of her art, and are underscored by strong understanding of composition and color. Her love of creative writing informs much of her work, whether illustrating poems or drawing inspiration for an Advanced Placement portfolio investigation from writing workshops she has attended. …She has has submitted work for several community art opportunities, including Northgate Market’s Dia de Los Muertos contest, where she was recognized as a semifinalist last year.” — Debbyie Jollineau, Orange High School
Leah Ariana Hernandez - See artist’s portfolio
“Leah’s infectious energy is channeled into her art; she blends technology with a street art style to create designs and illustrations that are dynamic and bright. Her vivaciousness extends into her contributions to the class — she is full of ideas and enthusiasm. She is currently pursuing an autobiographical sustained investigation in the Advanced Placement 2-D design portfolio that reflects on the expectations of society in regard to personal aesthetics versus one’s inner world.” — Debbyie Jollineau, Orange High School
Lily McWilliams - See artist’s portfolio
“Her interests in theater and film and comics inform her work in media arts, and vice-versa. She’s an introvert who absolutely lights up when she discusses anything she’s passionate about, and she has been an advocate for the arts at OHS by reaching out to middle school students to share some of those passions.” — Debbyie Jollineau, Orange High School
Osvaldo Nunez - See artist’s portfolio
“There is rarely a time when Kaylani *isn’t* making art. Her anthropomorphic animal characters appear everywhere, and she works with a speed and dedication that surpasses most adult artists. Though much of her work incorporates an abundance of surface decoration and frillery, the thought process behind it is often deep and filled with meaning.” — Debbyie Jollineau, Orange High School
Rowan Ontiveros - See artist’s portfolio
“Rowan’s love of character design can be seen in the fantastical hybridized characters they create and the stories they develop. They are currently enrolled advanced placement art, where they are exploring development of characters and mark-making to prepare for the development of a graphic novel in the horror genre. Rowan has been active in our art club, holding the title of vice president, where they organized club activities to include other students and provided tutorials for activities. They have participated in several community art contests as well.” — Debbyie Jollineau, Orange High School
William Villasaldo - See artist’s portfolio
“(This student has) exceptional creativity and dedication to his craft. William’s willingness to explore diverse mediums and techniques showcases a remarkable versatility that sets him apart from others. Williams artistic view inspires others around him which makes him a true standout at our school.” — Whitney Foster, Orange High School
Fine Arts:
Christina Bovitas
“Christina is consistently a top artist in drawing class. She is a leader at her table group and takes responsibility for helping students that are struggling in a variety of ways. Her artist statement says it best: ‘Art inspires me because I have been around it my whole life. When I was younger, my mom would always be painting, drawing, or being creative. She inspires me to be better. Even when I was younger I would draw on random pieces of paper whenever I got the chance just so I could get better.’” — Sandy Manich, Canyon High School
Jade Diaz
“I am nominating Jade … for her consistent high quality art, leadership and inspiration of her peers in her character as well as in her art. Her artists statement says it best: ‘My art emerges from the landscapes of my imagination, where ideas and emotions take form. drawing allows me to explore limitless possibilities, translating thoughts into lines and shapes. Sketching is my foundation, a raw and immediate way to capture the essence of what I feel.’” — Sandy Manich, Canyon High School
Elise Guerrero - See artist’s portfolio
“Elise is an outstanding contributor to our interior design program at Canyon High School. She is a leader and role model, and an inspiration to others through her character and her art. Her artists statement best sums up my reasons for recommending Elise: ‘I draw because it offers me a peaceful escape from the chaos of everyday life. The process of putting pencil to paper allows my mind to focus solely on the moment, creating a space where time slows down. The flow of creativity becomes a form of therapy, guiding me through difficult emotions and helping me understand them more clearly.’” – Sandy Manich, Canyon High School
Samantha Guzman - See artist’s portfolio
“Samantha is a consistent top artist in our Drawing class at Canyon High School. She is a leader at her table group. Her artist’s statement says it best in regard to my reason for nominating her. …’I think it all clicked when I saw a drawing on my teachers board in first grade. For some reason that dolphin drawing sparked a passion in me to give it a try. I said, “I wish I could do that.” That’s the thing. Wishing is the first step in believing, and in that moment I believed that I could achieve that wish through hard work and dedication.’” – Sandy Manich, Canyon High School
Julian Hahn - See artist’s portfolio
“He is innovative, always on task, and an inspiration to his peers. His artist statement says it best in describing why I am nominating Julian as Artist of the Year. ‘As an aspiring interior designer, I believe that our surroundings and settings have a substantial impact on our mood, health, and mental well-being. My goal with my art is to create spaces that are functional, beautiful, and personal. … I take inspiration from everywhere; from walking down the street looking at houses and going to open houses. Ultimately, I want my designs to make people feel that their houses are a home. Anyone can create a house, but I want to make a home.’” — Sandy Manich, Canyon High School
We are incredibly proud of all our nominees and the dedication they have shown to their artistic pursuits. Their passion, creativity, and leadership not only elevate their craft but also inspire their peers and the entire OUSD community. We congratulate each of them and look forward to seeing how they continue to shape the future of the arts!