The VAPA Spotlight Awards celebrate Transforming Lives Through the Arts across San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). These awards highlight outcomes that are aligned with the goals of the district’s strategic plan for the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA). Awardees are nominated by the SDUSD VAPA community of students, teachers, families, arts partners and administrators. Winners are selected by a committee that represents classroom teachers, VAPA leaders, the VAPA Advisory Council, and the VAPA Foundation.

The VAPA Foundation thanks North Island Credit Union for graciously sponsoring $250 scholarships to student award recipients. Please visit northisland.ccu.com for more information or follow the credit union on Instagram® or Facebook® @northislandcu. 

Awardees will be recognized at the 2023 VAPA Spotlight Awards Presentation Event on Sunday, March 12, 2023 from 12:30 - 1:45 pm in the 2nd floor lobby of the San Diego Civic Theatre. The awards presentation will immediately precede the 2023 High School Instrumental Music Honor Concert which begins immediately afterward at 2:00 p.m. in the theater.

This year’s VAPA Spotlight Award winners are:

• Artistic Achievement Award

  • Johnny Avila - Student, Canyon Hills High School

  • Jennifer Dossett - Teacher, Clairemont High School

  • Spencer Kearns - Student, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts

  • Malvyn Lai - Student, Mt. Everest Academy

  • Chloe Moya - Student, Mt. Everest Academy

  • Jessica Rogawski - Teacher, San Diego High School

• Artistic Growth Award

  • Leslie Pagel - Student, Crawford High School

• Artistic Innovation Award

  • Jason Berman - Teacher, Millennial Tech Middle School

  • Sylvia Echeverria - Associate Principal, Home Hospital and Transition Supports School

  • Meera Ramanathan - Teacher, Zamorano Fine Arts Academy

• Creative Community Engagement Award

  • Shannon Cao - Student, La Jolla High School

  • Sonya Harris - Community Arts Partner, Roosevelt IB Middle School

  • Danny Jones - Teacher, Knox Middle School

  • Schekania Simon - Student, Hoover High School

  • Brianna Valeska - Teacher, Grant TK-8 School

  • The Old Globe - Community Arts Partner, San Diego Unified School District

• Creative Leadership Award

  • Teri Ang - Teacher, Horace Mann Middle School

  • Cassandra Brown - Teacher, Wangenheim MIddle School

  • Charles Evans Jr. - Community Arts Partner, Birney Elementary School

  • Sheena Francisco - Student, Morse High School

  • Dr. Erica Renfree - Principal, Canyon Hills High School

  • Stephanie Zavala-Lemarroy - Student, Mission Bay High School

• Rising Star Award

  • Keith Baham - Student, Zamorano Fine Arts Academy

  • Abagail Doolittle - Student, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts

  • Ana Mendoza - Community Arts Partner, San Diego Unified School District

  • Wendy Ruiz Javier - Paraprofessional, Knox Middle School