Teacher Jamie Butler writes this about Jacob:

“If you were to ask my students who has the best combination of talent, leadership, and kindness in the ACHS program, it is difficult to imagine any other name than Jacob Anunciacion. Jacob has that rare pure tenor voice and an even more rare ability to connect with and lead his peers with humility. He is a section leader this year as well as in our a cappella group, PDA. He has been a member of the Chamber Choir for two years, and this year he was a part of the cast of our musical, Matilda. Jacob is so beloved by his classmates and everyone he comes in contact with. He is an impressive young man with an incredible future ahead.”

Teacher Michelle Thompson writes this about Alyssa:

“I’m excited to introduce Alyssa Fleig for the Vapa Student of the month. Alyssa is in my Art I class and has been demonstrating her terrific artistic skills in all of her projects. Alyssa applies herself to each technique, takes critiques as a chance to improve her skills, and completes her projects to the best of her ability. The art project was to take inspiration from Leonardo Da Vinci’s sketches and recreate a drawing using hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and shading. Alyssa did amazing, implementing all the techniques and creating a beautiful drawing of the woman. I’m so proud of how hard Alyssa works to create wonderful pieces of art, and really apply herself to understand and develop her artistic skills.”

Teacher Lisa Gottfried writes this about Marley:

“Marley is a dedicated artist and shows great skill in painting, drawing, and collage work. She is a dependable member of our art class and a pleasure to teach.”

Teacher Lisa Gottfried writes this about Oliver:

“Oliver has contributed to the Digital Design Lab as a leader in our SkillsUSA chapter and as a solid designer. Oliver pays attention to detail and has a very strong visual point of view. Oliver has earned Gold for Outstanding Chapter with two other teammates and will be competing at State competition this year.”

Teacher Evrim Cakir writes this about Adal:

“Adal, a high school senior, is an incredibly talented artist whose creativity shines through both his digital artwork and traditional drawings. His digital pieces are bold and expressive, while his sketches show impressive detail and skill. No matter the medium, Adal brings ideas to life in a way that stands out; he has a bright artistic future ahead.”

Teacher James Bailey writes this about Alexis:

“Alexis has immersed himself in a wide range of artistic disciplines throughout his time in our program. His coursework reflects both commitment and curiosity, including Studio Art, Advanced Studio Art, AP 2D Art and Design, Theatre, Advanced Theatre, and Theatre in Production. In each of these spaces, Alexis brings a thoughtful, creative voice and a willingness to explore ideas deeply. Alexis has shown remarkable initiative as a creator. His artistic expression also extends beyond theatre to visual art and poetry, further illustrating the breadth of his creative interests. He is an extremely talented visual artist.  In April, he will complete an acting performance examination with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in pursuit of a Gold Medal—an achievement that would follow the Silver Medal he earned last year.”

Teacher James Bailey writes this about Ezra:

“ Ezra hit the ground running in theatre, visual art, and creative writing once he entered Justin-Siena. I could go on and on about all of the contributions he made to the theatre program (he played Puck this year, pictured here in the photo I submitted), but his real interest post-high school is in writing. Ezra has the ambition of being a screenwriter and has spent many years practicing his skills. He is editor-in-chief of our literary magazine and has written three plays for “The 24 Hour Plays.” He has also submitted pieces to the Solano County Writing Contest every year since middle school. Major themes in his work include identity, obsession, religiosity, revolution, and unreleased anger. Ezra states that his “main writing goal is to make movies that foster understanding and empathy in our heavily polarized culture, especially towards trans people. I want to show trans kids accurate reflections of their lives, devoid of mockery or misunderstanding.”

Teacher  Summer Heartt writes this about Paulene:

“Since 2022, Paulene has been a steady heartbeat—a positive force whose dedication to her craft is matched only by her personal fortitude. She has blossomed from shy beginnings into a formidable creative leader who approaches every challenge—whether onstage, backstage, or at the writer’s desk—with a “yes, and” spirit that elevates everyone around her. Her commitment extends far beyond the school day, as seen in her rigorous work in our after-school Musical Theatre program and her impressive performance in As You Like It at Napa Valley College. Paulene’s story is one of resilience and quiet strength. She has gained a well-deserved reputation as a dependable, focused learner who will do whatever it takes to ensure the success of the ensemble. Her transformation from a reserved freshman to a shining, confident performer is an inspiration to our entire department. Paulene doesn’t just show up for the show; she pours her heart into the process.“

Teacher Patti Coyle writes this about Seth:

“Rarely have I taught a more talented artist than Seth Williams. He is an accomplished actor, has mastered several accents, writes music, has performed in several plays and musicals, is the leader of a rock band, writes screenplays, and directs actors. I have had the pleasure of teaching Seth since eighth grade, and it has been amazing to watch him grow as an incredible performing artist and creator.”

Teacher James Bailey  writes this about Laura:

“Laura has been our Production Stage Manager for the past two years. She has managed all of our plays, musicals, dance shows, and concerts–quite an undertaking. She has recently added “Lighting Designer” to her resume, having designed “Alice by Heart,” “The ComedySportz High School League,” and the current production, “Eleemosynary.” She is also an excellent student and athlete, and we look forward to her continuing as stage manager next year!”

Teacher Andrew Winegarner writes this about Oliva:

“Olivia is a very talented artist and a very diligent student with straight-A+s.”

Teacher Shauna Hoxsie writes this about Adelyn:

“Adelyn deserves to be recognized as Napa County’s Artist of the Month because of the consistent attention to craftsmanship and storytelling found across all of her work. Adelyn possesses a unique artistic ‘voice’ that is both playful and incredibly detailed.”

Teacher Julia Zmed writes this about Kyra:

“Kyra is a one-of-a-kind talent–with a style of her own and a set of natural skills that surpasses many I studied with in college.  She has a natural touch for almost every medium, with a use of color that is almost magic-like. I am so proud of her work and dedication to her craft in the last 3 years I have had her and can’t wait to see what it evolves into as she grows!”

Teacher Teresa Silvagni writes this about Stella:

“Stella is a dedicated third-year member of the RMS Drama Club who has shown tremendous growth and commitment to our program. Since her 6th-grade year, Stella has worked incredibly hard to develop her performance skills, and her improvement has been truly impressive. She approaches every role with focus, determination, and a strong desire to do her best. Stella’s performance credits include Rafiki in The Lion King Jr. (2024) and Gramma Tala in Moana Jr. (2025), and she will be starring as Ariel in our upcoming 2026 production of The Little Mermaid Jr. Stella is reliable, hardworking, and always strives for excellence, making her a wonderful representative of our program.”

Teacher Sarah Grant writes this about Alice:

“Alice not only did a phenomenal job on stage in our first production in the Fall, but she has also taken on being a main ensemble member of another class’ musical! Alice is kind, devoted, and so talented! She is a great dancer, singer, and performer who is willing to try new things, be silly, and enjoy being on stage. So excited for Alice to be in Theatre next year, and hopefully the year after.”

Teacher Sarah Grant writes this about Sophia & Chyler:

“Sophia and Chyler are my choreography directors for our Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone Jr. When we chose this musical, we did not realize the intensity of the dancing and songs! Sophia and Chyler have worked as a team to teach the students their dances. Anything that I have asked for them, they have taken on and done right away. They taught the most difficult dance to the students while I was out sick, offered constructive feedback, reteach steps, and have created their own choreography for our dances. As a class, we would not be able to have our musical without them! They will be sorely missed as they move on to high school next year, but their hard work and commitment to Theatre will follow them forever. Oh! They both also have a main acting role in the musical as well- They are rockstars!” 

Teacher Corey Morton writes this about Emma:

“Students shared their knowledge of the concepts of realistic and abstract. After a discussion and a short video that shows the difference between the two concepts, they created their own realistic and abstract self-portrait. One side shows their real face, and the other shows the abstract of what they are really made of. Emma did an amazing job with digging deep within themselves to share what they are on the “inside” – Stranger Things, her Mexican heritage, and music. I also really like how they were able to make the “outside” look so much like themselves. Their attention to detail and the way they used color pencils make it look realistic.”

Teacher Tere Charney writes this about Eva:

“Eva is a kind and thoughtful student within our school community. In our Art Studio environment, she excels with her concentration to detail and her ability to use a strong sense of creativity. She is quite mature in her nature, but does not lack a playful smile that inspires me as an art teacher, and also her classmates. She loves Anime art styles and loves drawing these images in her free time. In her own words, “Creating art makes her feel good. When she feels sad or bad, creating art always makes her feel better.” Her classroom teacher describes Eva this way: “ Eva is a kind, quiet student and well-liked by others. Any opportunity to create makes her happy.”

Teacher Jennifer Veveiros writes this about Kevin:

“I had the pleasure of teaching art to Mrs. Leslie Slavin’s class. We created a 3-Dimensional heart. Students were working on kindness, and Valentine’s Day was approaching. Students chose contrasting colors that would make the piece really stand out. Students colored the opposite colors inside the heart and added shading to make it pop off the page. Kevin really paid attention to detail in creating this artwork. I love the colors chosen and the shading on the sides.”

Teacher Pasula Sotiras writes this about Eleni:

“Eleni learned the elements of art to create a dragon’s eye in celebration of the Chinese New Year.”