The VAPA Spotlight Awards celebrate Transforming Lives Through the Arts across San Diego Unified School District. These awards highlight outcomes that are aligned with the goals of the district’s strategic plan for the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA), originally adopted by the Board of Education in 2016. Awardees are nominated by the SDUSD VAPA community of students, teachers, parents, 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 and Gloria Rogers, their Vice President of School & Community Development, for graciously sponsoring $250 scholarships to student award recipients. Awardees will be recognized at the 2022 VAPA Spotlight Awards Presentation Event on Sunday, March 13, 2022 from 1:30-2:30pm in the 2nd floor lobby of the San Diego Civic Theatre. The awards presentation will immediately precede the 2022 High School Instrumental Music Honor Concert, which begins at 3:00pm.

This year’s VAPA Spotlight Award winners are:

• Artistic Achievement Award

  • Benjamin Delgado, Student - Mission Bay High School

  • Andres Martinez, Student - Central Elementary School

  • Emma Schweitzer, Student - Canyon Hills High School

  • Nicole Warkentien, Student - SD School of Creative and Performing Arts

• Artistic Growth Award

  • Jeanne Christensen, Teacher, Mira Mesa High School

  • Peter Ekong, Student - Canyon Hills High School

  • Jackson Vaccaro, Student - Green Elementary School

• Artistic Innovation Award

  • Mishell Rudden, Teacher, Dingeman Elementary School

• Creative Community Engagement Award

  • Andrea Lemaitre, Teacher - SD School of Creative and Performing Arts

  • Kayla Rodgers, Teacher - San Diego High School

  • Barbara Smith, Teaching Artist - McKinley Elementary School

  • Malashock Dance, community arts organization

  • West Coast Winter Guard, community arts organization

• Creative Leadership Award

  • Brandon Corenman, Teacher - University City High School

  • Selina Gonzalez, Student - San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts

  • Theo Martien, Student - Mt. Everest Academy

  • Abigail Parra Rodriguez, Student - Canyon Hills High School

  • Jeff Sabins, Principal - Mira Mesa High School

  • Jessie Turner, Student - Canyon Hills High School

• Rising Star Award

  • Krista Nelson, Teacher - Madison High School

  • Marielena Teng, Teacher - Challenger Middle School and Mira Mesa High School