Parents, faculty members, administrators and other Germantown High School supporters gathered on May 12th, 2017 to recognize the talented and dedicated students of the GHS Creative and Performing Arts Department (CAPA) for another year of accomplishments.
The annual Germantown High School Creative and Performing Arts Banquet, held this year at Woodland Hills Event Center, celebrated the end of another successful year and acknowledged the commitment and achievement of the department's hard-working students. CAPA Department chair Allison Rogers Long gave congratulatory remarks throughout the evening. Guests, while enjoying their food and friends, were entertained not only by the colorful student artwork displayed along the walls of the venue, but by a video montage featuring the high caliber musical productions, choral performances and concerts from the past year. The majority of the evening, however, was spent celebrating the CAPA students of GHS and their prestigious achievements in all areas of the arts: including visual arts, instrumental and vocal music, forensics, theatre and television.
The most anticipated moment of the evening was the announcement of the CAPA scholarship winners for the 2016-2017 school year. Over the course of the evening, more than $26,000 in scholarships and service awards were presented to some of GHS' brightest and most talented students. Seventeen students were awarded scholarships to help further their creative and performing arts educations at the university level. In addition to the many scholarships, several CAPA faculty members and supporters presented service awards and other distinguished honors to deserving students.
Since its inception in 1977, the Germantown High Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship Program has become a symbol of the hard work and dedication of GHS CAPA students. Numerous civic clubs, private donors and charitable organizations generously donate the awards each year.
Thespian Troupe #912 faculty sponsor, Kirie Walz, made a special presentation at the banquet this year to announce the winner of the International Thespian Junior Scholarship. Each year the Troupe selects one thespian in the junior class to receive a $4,000 scholarship. This year Alan Toney won the award. The money is designated to send the winning student to a four-week summer acting camp at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
The Seth Matthew Rowan Sophomore Achievement Award is presented by the Thespian troupe to a sophomore in the production class who exhibited the greatest potential and leadership qualities; Rodney McKinner won this prestigious award.
The final presentation of the evening was the announcement of the E. Frank Bluestein Fine Arts Student of the Year. The award is presented to a student who excels in at least two different arts areas.
The following are the major scholarships that were announced at the ceremony:
The Germantown Rotary Club awarded Deborah Noel a scholarship in the amount of $2,500. Presented every year since 1976, the Germantown Rotary Club Fine Arts Scholarship is the oldest of all of the GHS fine arts awards. The winner of the award is honored each year at a Rotary Club weekly luncheon.
The Seth Matthew Rowan Memorial Fine Arts Scholarship is donated by the Germantown Fine Arts Foundation in memory of Seth Matthew Rowan. The Germantown High School fine arts student was tragically killed in a car/train accident in the fall of 1994. The scholarship, in the amount of $2,000 went to Elijah Bienz. This scholarship, funded through the GFAF Seth Matthew Rowan Endowment Fund, is awarded to a theatre or television student who has made outstanding contributions to the Creative and Performing Arts department.
The GHS-TV Broadcast Journalism Scholarship is donated by former GHS-TV alumni who want to assist a student in his or her pursuit in broadcast journalism. This newly established scholarship was awarded to Caleb Suggs in the amount of $1,750.
A major music scholarship was presented at this year's banquet. The Germantown Band Boosters give an instrumental music scholarship every year. This year's scholarship was awarded to Daniel Meza in the amount of $2,000.
The Germantown Fine Arts Foundation Theatre Arts Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 was presented to Kennedy Harris.
Each year the Tri-M Music Honor Society at Germantown High School awards a scholarship to an outstanding member of the society. This year Tri-M has awarded two scholarships of $250 each to Justin Franklin and Jeri Katz.
The Sharis Blackburn Visual Arts Memorial Scholarship Award is a scholarship that was established by Teresa Phipps in honor of her mother Sharis Blackburn who passed away in the spring of 2017. This memorial scholarship was presented to Kirsten Barnette in the amount of $1,500.
The David Lilly Memorial Fine Arts Service Award is an endowed fund that was established by Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Bamett in memory of Mrs. Bamett’s son David Lilly, a 1994 graduate of Germantown High School. Lilly was highly involved in all aspects of the theatre and television programs at GHS and was himself a scholarship recipient. He passed away in February of 2000. Mazzy Clements received this service award in the amount of $500.
The Germantown Band Booster Service Awards were presented to Jeri Katz, Chasity Neely, and Sierra Smithson in the amount of $1,000 each.
The Germantown Charity Horse Show Scholarship was awarded to Sara Mayers in the amount of $1,500.
The Douglas Ramsay GHS-TV Service Award is an endowed fund that was established by Shirley Ramsay and Bob Ramsay in memory of their husband and father respectively, a longtime supporter of the GHS Fine Arts Dept. Andreas Williams received this service award in the amount of $1,000.
The Deputy Sheriff Ryan Sequin Scholarship was awarded to Dinah Mitchell in the amount of $1,000.
The Poplar Pike Arts Guild PPP Service Awards were presented to Tia Glover and Ellen White in the amount of $500 each.
The Choral Music service award was awarded to D’era Shack in the amount of $500.
Other awards presented throughout the evening were as follows:
Art Merit Awards:
EMERALD LEVEL ONE: Luis Arteaga, Sheila Chau, Georgia Hill, Kenny Huynh, Sergio Orozco; EMERALD LEVEL TWO: Sydney Smith; BEST IN CLASS: Tanaya Nandedkar (Level One Honors), Zach Webb (Level Two), Celena Trejo (Level Three); SOCIAL JUSTICE VISUAL ART AWARD: Janayah Crawford; AP DIAMOND PORTFOLIO AWARD: Ellen White; AP TRIPLE CROWN DIAMOND/ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Kirsten Barnette; MOST IMPROVED CONCEPTUAL IDEAS: Akhil Gedati; MOST IMPROVED TECHNICAL SKILL: Isbah Qureshi; MOST UNIQUE PROJECTS: Pei Tan; CONSISTENTLY IMPRESSIVE: Faiza Narsinghani; ART CRITIQUE AWARD FOR BEST RESPONSES: Jithin Manikonda; OVERALL MOST IMPRESSIVE ARTIST: Alice Zakharenko; BEST ALL AROUND: Jia Mei; BEST BODY OF WORK: Peter Boyd; BEST IN SHOW: “Roots” by Seeta Shah; BEST CONCEPT: “Reality” by Taylor Bolding; BEST TECHNICAL SKILL: “Senioritis” by Ellena Aguilar; BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: “Political” by Pauline Mireles; BEST SERIES: “No Evil” Photography Series by Niki Scheinberg; OUTSTANDING SERVICE & CONTRIBUTIONS (Visual Art 1 & Visual Design): Nyla McClain, Kriston Jones, Anthony Ambartsoumian, Francis Discua Martinez, Dannie Towles, Summer Beals, Hiram Zaldana, Antonio Gray, Keishaun Askew, Joshua Leake, Lance Sanford, TaQueria Sims, Ashley Towns, Tide Adewunmi, Christian Buescher, Kacey Cole, Noemi Gomez, Jasmine Meredith, Kathryn Morgan, Natalie Moroto-Andrade, Valandria Porter, Kayla Richard, Robbi Wells
Band Merit Awards:
OUTSTANDING ROOKIE: Jaysen Gwynn; OUTSTANDING FIELD COMMANDER: Chasity Neely, Daniel Meza; OUTSTANDING BAND LIBRARIAN: Sierra Smithson; ALL-WEST BAND 2016-2017: Horn: Elizabeth Dang, Tuba: John Dinh, Percussion: Sidney Robinson, Clarinet: Amaya Brooks, Jeri Katz, Megan Hayden, Kendall Howard, Long Truong, Bass Clarinet: Tyler Watson, Leah Jack, Flute: Olivia Remak, Allison Lee, Trumpet: Braxton Anderson, Terrence Washington, Trombone: Louis Micolta; ALL-WEST JAZZ BAND 2016-2017: Alto Saxophone: Kori Wallace, Trombone: Avery Clary, Michael Cox, Trumpet: Andy Chau, Tahj Walsh; ALL-WEST ORCHESTRA: Daniel Meza (Oboe), Elisha Johnson (Horn); ALL-STATE BAND: Kori Wallace (Alto Saxophone), Daniel Meza (Oboe), Elizabeth Dang (Horn), John Dinh (Tuba), Elisha Johnson (Horn), Kendall Howard (Clarinet), Long Truong (Clarinet); ALL-STATE BAND: Kendall Howard, Long Truong, Jeffrey Lin, Elizabeth Dang, John Dinh
Vocal Merit Awards:
NATIONAL SCHOOL CHORAL AWARD: Caleb Suggs
FOUR YEAR SERVICE AWARDS: Balqiss Al-Attiyat, Destini Bolden, Nathania Boyd, Hannah Everhart, Braxton Heard, Sara Henderson, Brittany Lewellen, Tristan Long, Cierra Stevens, Caleb Suggs, Kaitlyn Thompson; MOST IMPROVED: Justin Franklin (Chamber Choir), Dominick Rucker-Netherland (Chorale), Dajanei Sarr (Women’s Chorus), Trinity Harper (GHS Chorus); OUTSTANDING EFFORT: Chamber Choir: Abigail Davis, Elanis Kelley, Rodney McKinner; Chorale: Asia Maclin, Rogers Prewitt, Tristan Long, D’era Shack; Women’s Chorus: Kendall Woodard, Daisha Ivy, Jessica Brimage; GHS Chorus: Cameron Shields, Cherysh Corning; MOST PROMISING FRESHMAN: Kadiatu Gassama, Michael Evans; ALL SOUTHWEST HONOR CHOIR 2016: Abigail Davis, Trevor Davis, Gabrielle Evans, Elanis Kelley, Tristan Long, Caleb Suggs; PARTICIPATION IN ALL-STATE HONOR CHOIR 2017: Caleb Suggs, Gabrielle Evans
Theatre Honors:
BEST ACTOR: Alan Toney; BEST ACTRESS: Dinah Mitchell; BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Sara Mayers; BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Caleb Suggs; MOST IMPROVED ACTOR: Elijah Bienz; BEST BREAKOUT ACTRESS: Mackenzie Kuykendoll; BEST BREAKOUT ACTOR: Rodney McKinner; BEST FEATURED ACTRESS: Amber Allen; BEST FEATURED ACTOR: Kyle Bowers; OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE MEMBER: C.J. Jamerson; BEST NEWCOMER: Rachel Christopherson; OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL THEATRE ACHIEVEMENT: AJ Cocroft, Taylor Corpier, Naya Foster, Bria Gipson, Jason Harris, Avery Moore, Deborah Noel, Wolfgang Stoltz; OUTSTANDING THEATRE MANAGEMENT: Elijah Bienz, Bria Gipson, Sara Mayers, Wolfgang Stoltz
Television HonorsBEST TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Wolfgang Stoltz, BEST OVERALL PRODUCER: Elijah Bienz; BEST CROSSTALK PRODUCER: Avery Moore; BEST NEWS PRODUCER: Bria Gipson; BEST SPORTS PRODUCER: Kennedy Harris; BEST REPORTER: Deborah Noel; BEST ON-AIR TALENT: Sara Mayers; BEST MODERATOR: Caleb Suggs: MOST IMPROVED: Andrew Pollard; BEST PRODUCTION STAFF MEMBER: Lundell Simmons; BEST ALL-AROUND: Andreas Williams; BEST NEWCOMER: Jaylon Dodson
