Annual Accomplishments

VAPA APPLAUSE 2023-2024

Theme: Building Your Legacy!

What will you contribute to your community?

• The four arts joined forces to produce the outstanding spring musical The Prom
• The Vocal performers and Rock Bands presented their Spring Contemporary Concerts
• One of our own Rock Bands performed at The Novo and shared the stage with Josh Groban.
• The Instrumental students participated in the Spring Music Concert: Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Choir
• The Jazz Combo earned superior at the LAUSD Music Summit
• 50 arts students participated in the Funny Girl workshop, performance and Q and A at the Ahmanson
• Colorguard took FIRST place at the LAUSD Band and Drill Team Championships for the tenth year in a row!
• Dance Team presented their spring Dance Production, Dear Society…
• Spring Theatre Company presented Children’s Theatre for our SDC students
• Dance Team performed at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex for the LA Dance Fest
• The Visual Arts presented their spring eco-friendly Trashion Show – Centuries
• Drumline participated at the American Drumline Association of Southern CA Championships
• A Capella placed 11th at the A capella festival, scored Superior in LAUSD summit, 1st place in Music in the Parks
• Theatre students participated in the state-wide arts advocacy event STAND UP 4 ARTS EDUCATION at the Capitol in Sacramento
• Dance Team participated in the VAAS Invitational and the Mt. Gleason Cultural Fair
• Marching Band took FIRST place at LAUSD CHAMPIONSHIPS for the second year in a row
• Students took a field trip to the Ahmanson to experience Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet
• Dance Team participated in JAMZ Nationals in Las Vegas
• Dance Team won 3rd place the West Coast Elite Dance Regionals
• Melissa Valdivia represented Verdugo’s VAPA in the August Wilson Monologue Competition Los Angeles Finals
• Diana Martinez represented Verdugo's VAPA in the ESU Shakespeare LA Finals
• Thespian Broadway Revue (music benefit) raised $750 for LA Arts Fund
• Band students marched in the 2023 Rose Parade
• Students were recognized by the CA Ed. Theatre Association for Technical Theatre and Acting excellence in the fall play Peter and the Starcatcher
• The Holiday Music Concert included orchestra, jazz band, A Capella, and Dance
• The Marching Dons participated in the SCSBOA Southern CA Championships for the first time
• Dance and Dialogue workshops at CA State LA
• Students attended Existencia, the commissioned physical theatre piece at the Soraya commemorating the 1994 Northridge Earthquake
• Dance Team performed at Fenton Elementary School’s Arts Festival
• The entire Freshmen VAPA Class participated in the LA Opera collaborative production Orpheus performed at Verdugo Hills High School
• JV and Varsity Theatre students participated in the DTASC Fall Festival, winning 4th place in group drama and 5th place small screen
• Freshmen toured the Huntington Library, Museum and Botanical Gardens exploring Identity
• Numerous theatre and music students participated in YoungArts national arts competition and the LA Music Center Spotlight Competition
• Students participated in the California Thespian Society Leadership and Technical Conference held in Upland, CA

VAPA APPLAUSE 2022-2023

Theme: Embracing New Possibilities

How can we gain the courage to step outside of the box?

• The four arts joined forces to produce the outstanding spring musical Pippin
• The Vocal performers and Rock Bands presented their Spring Contemporary Concert
• One of our own Rock Bands performed at The Novo and shared the stage with Idina Menzel, Babyface and Tom Morello.
• The Instrumental students participated in the Spring Music Concert: Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Choir
• 50 arts students participated in the 1776 workshop, performance and Q and A at the Ahmanson
• Dance Team presented their spring Dance Production, Dreams and Nightmares
• Spring Theatre Company presented Winnie-the-Pooh at Plainview Charter Elementary School
• The Visual Arts presented their spring eco-friendly Trashion Show – High Fashion
• Drumline received the Silver Medal in the Finals, at the American Drumline Association of Southern CA
• A Capella placed top 10 in A capella festival, scored Superior in LAUSD summit, 3rd place in Music in the parks
• Drumline received third place in Semi-Finals, at the American Drumline Association of Southern CA
• Dance Team and Theatre students participated in the state-wide arts advocacy event STAND UP 4 ARTS EDUCATION at the Capitol in Sacramento
• Dance Team participated in the VAAS Invitational and the Mt. Gleason Cultural Fair
• Marching Band took first place at LAUSD CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Students took a field trip to A Noise Within and saw Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
• Dance Team won 1st in Jazz and 2nd in Lyrical in JAMZ Nationals in Las Vegas
• Drumline received 1st place in their first competition
• Theatre students participated in the Fullerton College High School Theatre Festival, Jade Yerby winning 3rd place in classical monologue
• Dance Team won 1st in Jazz at State Championships
• Dance Team won 2nd place the West Coast Elite Dance Regionals
• Melissa Valdivia represented Verdugo's VAPA in the ESU Shakespeare LA Semi-Finals
• Thespian Broadway Revue (music benefit) raised $750 for Broadway Cares
• Band students marched in the 2023 Rose Parade
• Students were recognized by the CA Ed. Theatre Association for Technical Theatre and Acting excellence in the fall play A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• The Holiday Music Concert included orchestra, jazz band, A Capella, and Dance
• First annual holiday Dance Show: The Dancers Who Saved Christmas
• Dance and Dialogue workshops at CA State LA
• The entire Freshmen VAPA Class participated in the LA Opera collaborative production of The Letter performed at Verdugo Hills High School
• Jade Yerby was selected by the Center Theatre Group to be a student Ambassador for this school year!
• JV and Varsity Theatre students participated in the DTASC Fall Festival, winning 4th place in group drama and 5th place in LGBTQ playwrights
• Many theatre and music students participated in YoungArts national arts competition and the LA Music Center Spotlight Competition
• Students participated in the California Thespian Society Leadership and Technical Conference held in Upland, CA

VAPA APPLAUSE 2021-2022

Theme: Building Resilience!
How can we as communities empower the human spirit?

• The four arts joined forces to produce the outstanding spring musical The Addam's Family!
• The Vocal performers and Rock Bands presented their Spring Contemporary Concert
• The Instrumental students participated in the Spring Music Concert: Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Choir
• 50 arts students participated in the Hadestown workshop and performance at the Ahmanson
• Dance Team presented their spring Dance Production, Resilience!
• Spring Theatre Company presented Once Upon A Shoe at Plainview Charter Elementary School
• The Visual Arts presented their spring eco-friendly Trashion Show - Fandemonium!
• Drumline received the Bronze Medal in the Finals, at the American Drumline Association of Southern CA
• A Capella celebrated the new recording studio by completing their new videos
• Drumline received first place in Semi-Finals, at the American Drumline Association of Southern CA
• Dance and English students experienced the Alvin Ailey Dance Company @ the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
• Students participated in the state-wide arts advocacy event STAND UP 4 ARTS EDUCATION
• Dance Team participated in the VAAS Invitational, the Walter Reed Cultural Fair and the LA Dance Festival @ CA State LA
• A Capella won a scholarship through the Verdugo Council
• Students took a field trip to A Noise Within and saw the culturally impactful Anna and the Tropics
• Dance Team won 1st in Jazz and 2nd in Lyrical - at the Hollywood Crown National Championships @ the LA Convention Center
• Drumline received 3rd place in their first competition
• Theatre students participated in the Fullerton College High School Theatre Festival in acting events and tech olympics
• Dance Team won 1st in both Jazz and Lyrical at the So Cal Championships
• Dance Team won 1st in both Jazz and Lyrical at The Rancho Cup and the So Cal Championships
• Melissa Valdivia represented Verdugo's VAPA in the ESU Shakespeare LA Semi-Finals
• Thespian Broadway Revue (music benefit) raised $450 for LA Project Angel Food
• 100 Theatre and History students participated in the EduHam project, producing original work and then seeing Hamilton @ the Pantages
• Students were recognized by the CA Ed. Theatre Association for Technical Theatre and Acting excellence in the fall play She Kills Monsters
• The Holiday Music Concert included orchestra, jazz band, A Capella, and Dance
• The entire Freshmen VAPA Class participated in the LA Opera collaborative production of Journey to Cordoba performed at VHHS
• Emma Rodriguez was selected by the Center Theatre Group to be a student Ambassador for this school year!
• Students from music, dance and theatre submitted work for the LA Music Center's Spotlight Awards
• JV and Varsity Theatre students participated in the DTASC Fall Festival, one event winning 4th place
• Logan Pineda participated as an actor in YoungArts, the national arts competition
• Students participated in the Thespian Leadership and Technical Conference

VAPA APPLAUSE 2020-2021

• Distribution of Senior Arts Honors and Academic Honors Medals
• AP Visual Art Portfolio Submissions
• Spring Music Concert - in person!
• Spring Dance Show - in person!
• Spring Musical - Into the Woods - In person with audience (masked)!
• Virtual Visual Arts Trashion Show: The Future Show and Animation
• VAPA Senior Showcase
• VAPA Junior Showcase
• Junior and Senior Arts Interviews
• Arts Education Branch Music Summit - $10,000 Scholarship winner: VHHS Music Department!
• Musical Theatre Guild collaboration Music Video
• bPlucky - Student Social Emotion Learning Advocacy App - VHHS student focus group
• Virtual Field Trip: The Music Center's Craig Woodson's World Orchestra
• Fullerton College High School Theatre Festival participation
• Stand Up 4 Arts Education - arts advocacy in a zoom with Senator Portantino
• Guest Speaker Anthony White, Professional Musician and LAUSD Beyond the Bell
• SU4AE - Student state wide quote recognition - Wendy Otto
• ESU Shakespeare Competition Los Angeles Finalist - Tatiana Morales
• California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) HS Theatre Festival - Scene recognition and Aleen Kozian won an Adjudicator Award
• Thespians produced the Broadway Review which benefited the LA Project Angel Food
• Dancers zoomed with a panel from Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake
• A Capella produced six music videos!
• A Capella virtual choral festival
• Collaborative senior project with LA Opera: Edge of a Dream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq69ShcQMWk&feature=youtu.be 
• Technicians and Actors produced Almost, Maine on-line through OBS
• Students zoomed with the playwright John Cariani and producer Jack Thomas from Almost, Maine
• Student participation: Los Angeles Spotlight Awards, August Wilson Monologue Comp. & national YoungArts 
• Drama Teachers Association of Souther California (DTASC) Varsity Participation
• DTASC Junior Varsity Participation: Finalists Lexi's Funeral and First Place winning The Proposal

VAPA APPLAUSE 2019-2020

• Dance team won 1st place in Lyrical at Nationals in Las Vegas!
• Samantha Arevalo won the Mario Lomeli Scholarship from DTASC and CETA
• Jayla Jones received the LA Spotlight Honorable Mention (3rd Place) acting - Music Center!
• Wendy Otto received Arts Scholar recognition from CSSSA
• Ashley Thatcher was one of 16 Student Ambassador in LA for the Center Theatre Group
• Dance Team won Grand Champions at World Class Cheer & Dance Competition in Glendale!
• Abigail Esquivel won a CA Educational Theatre Association Scholarship and performed at the recent southern CA Theatre Festival. She also won an acting medal for her scene work
• Samantha Arevalo and Abigail Esquivel won scholarships to Stand Up 4 Arts Education, an advocacy event at our state's capitol in Sacramento
• Students exhibit books at the local library created in VAPA English classes
• Marching Band and Color Guard students participated in the Rose Parade!
• The following students are in the Music Center Spotlight advanced rounds: Samantha Arevalo (acting), Jessie Shone (acting), Jayla Jones (acting and singing)
• Fifty theatre students went to see August Wilson's Jitney at the Mark Taper Forum
• Jayla Jones, one of 12 finalists in the LA August Wilson Monologue Competition, performed at the Mark Taper Forum on February 22
• The following students were August Wilson LA semi-finalists: Melissa Pirjanians, Samantha Arevalo, & Abigail Esquivel
• Jayla Jones was selected to perform at Thespians Go Hollywood, honoring Bernadette Peters
• Actors and Technicians received recognition from the CA Educational Theatre Association for the fall play, A Piece of My Heart. Samantha Arevalo & Eli Martinez received director's medals. 
• Marching Band students performed in the production of Musical Theatre Guild's Barnum at the Alex Theatre, Glendale
• Students participated in the Drama Teachers Assn. of S. CA Fall Festival
• Jayla Jones won a scholarship to Stand Up 4 Arts Education, an advocacy event at our state's capitol in Sacramento
• VAPA Seniors have a 10-week internship/partnership with the LA OPERA
• Fifty theatre students attended a production of Frankenstein at A Noise Within
• Tech Theatre Saturdays continue through the fall in preparation for the Fall Play
• Cheerleaders, Dance Team and Marching Band are featured at our Football Games

VAPA APPLAUSE 2018-2019

• A Capella won first place at Music in the Parks as well as Outstanding School
• Jayla Jones won outstanding soloist at Music in the Parks
• Rock Band, Verdugo 6, performed at the Roxy in Hollywood
• Emma Weber received a scholarship from DTASC and CETA
• Congratulations to all performers, musicians, visual artists and technicians who worked on Cinderella!
• Sixty students attended the LA Holocaust Museum while exploring our VAPA theme
• Dance Team placed first at the Sharp Nationals in Las Vegas\
• A Capella singers received a scholarship from the Verdugo Council
• Winter Guard placed 1st at the southern CA Championships
• Drum Line advanced to finals
• Cheer won 3rd place at the LAUSD Championships
• 150 students attended the Alvin Ailey Dance recital at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
• 90 students attended: LA Philharmonic @ the Disney Concert Hall for the role of music in story-telling
• 14 VAPA students participated in the LAUSD Honor Band marching in the Rose Parade
• LAUSD Marching Band Championships - 2nd Place for Band, 1st Place for Color Guard
• Winter Music Extravaganza was a success for all musicians and community
• 50 VAPA Students attended Come From Away @ the Ahmanson Theatre
• Kudos to all of the students involved with the successful fall play, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
• Varsity DTASC (Drama Teachers Association of S. CA) received semi-finals ranking,
• Kudos to Finalists Like Dreaming Backwards
• English Classes attended the meaningful production of Children of Wilsden Lane @ the Music Center
• Junior Varsity DTASC - all participants received honorable mention status
• Centennial HS Marching Band Competition - Band & Drumline - 3rd place, Color Guard - 1st place
• Drama Teachers Association of Southern CA Varsity and JV Theatre Festivals - Finalists
• Savannah HS Field Tournament - Drumline & Color Guard - 3rd place
• Balwin Park HS Marching Competition - 3rd place
• VAPA Magnet Middle School Tour
• 50 VAPA Students attended the classic musical Man of La Mancha at A Noise Within
• Jayla Jones won the vocal competition at the Folklorico Festival
• Jayla Jones and Emma Weber were selected by the CA State Thespians to perform and advocate for the arts in Sacramento at the capitol in March!
• VAPA Music Students performed in Hawaii this past summer
• VAPA Students worked on a music video this summer regarding anti-bullying

VAPA APPLAUSE 2017-2018

• Winter Guard placed 4th at the Winter Guard Association of Southern CA Championships!
• A Capella Singers won 2nd place at the Music in the Parks Choral Festival, with Stephanie Reynolds receiving an outstanding soloist award!
• Cheer received 3rd place at the CIF Regional Championships!
• Winter Guard, in their new division (Scholastic A) took first place at Arcadia High School!
• Juda Gonzalez represented Verdugo at the Semi-Finals and Finals in the LA ESU Shakespeare Competition
• Dance Team won first place at the LA competition! 
• Cheer won first place at Golden Valley!
• Winter Guard won first place at Murrieta Valley!
• Fall Play, Battle Hymn, received performance and technical theatre honors at the CA Educational Theatre Association High School Theatre Festival in Rancho Cucamonga. Special kudos to Michaela Mahoney for receiving a director's award and an adjudicator medal. 
• The Marching Band, Color Guard and Drum Line took 2nd over all in LAUSD and the Color Guard took 1st!
• The Marching Band, Color Guard and Drum Line competed in their 3rd competition at Sierra Vista and came in as the top LAUSD school! Color Guard came in 2nd and Drum Line came in 3rd. Congratulations, Marching Dons!
• VAPA Actors performed at the Drama Teachers Assn. of S. CA Fall Festival! Congratulations to semi-finalist Michaela Mahoney!
• VAPA Dance Students participated in a Dance & Dialogue cultural dance day
• HAMILTON! 75 Verdugo Hills VAPA US History students attended the musical cultural phenomenon Hamilton @ the Pantages on October 26  through a generous grant from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History!
• The Marching Dons and Verdugo Color Guard are thrilling fans at home football games with their field show, The Sound of Music
• VAPA Senior English class receives a grant to work with visual artist, Debra Disman
• 50 VAPA Students attend the matinee of Matthew Bourne's Ballet The Red Shoes
• VAPA Seniors intern with the Musical Theatre Guild on their production of Sugar
• VAPA Juniors work with The Actor's Co-Op on their Job Shadow with the production of 39 Steps
• VAPA Music Students help Sunland Elementary School celebrate!

VAPA APPLAUSE 2016-2017

Theme: Tolerance and Acceptance

• Congratulations to our first VAPA Graduating class! Spotlight on the arts!
• Congratulations to all of our visual art students who participated in the creative and impressive Trashion Show: Beyond Reality.
• Kudos to our Verdugo Dancers for their phenomenal Disney themed dance concerts!
• Excellent work at both recent music concerts. Kudos to all of our musicians!
• Congratulations to the success of our Spring Musical SHREK and to Michaela Mahoney who was nominated by the Jerry Herman Awards. Also, leads Sara Weed and Narbeh Zakani will be performing at the Pantages at the 2017 Jerry Herman Awards!
• Thank you to our incredibly talented a capella singers for performing at the Magnet School's of America Conference at the Los Angeles Biltmore!
• Congratulations to our Drum Line who came in FIRST PLACE at the LAUSD Championships!
• Congratulations to Verdugo's Winter Guard who won FIRST PLACE in the Scholastic A WGASC Contest at Azusa High School.
• Kudos to all of the Thespians who participated in the Fullerton College High School Theatre Festival. Special congratulations to Sara Weed who received first place in Graphic Design.
• Congratulations to our students who participated in performance and advocacy at the 20th Annual CA Youth in Theatre Day, Sacramento: Jayla Jones, Mara O'Neal, Serafina Rodberg & Zayar Lin. 
• Kudos to our Cheer and Dance teams who won First Place at the World Class Cheer & Dance Competition!
• Congratulations to Michaela Mahoney, Verdugo's representative who participated in LA's English Speaking Union Shakespeare Competition. Excellent work, Michaela!
• Congratulations to our VAPA Magnet students who participated in the LA All City Marching Band in the Rose Parade!
• Congratulations to all of the actors and technicians who were recognized at the HS Festival by the CA Educational Theatre Association for their outstanding work in The Laramie Project
• Thank you to our Verdugo Singers who brought joy during the holiday season to our community - elementary schools, senior citizen centers and the children's hospital. 
• Verdugo Actors and Singers participated in the YoungArts National competition, LA's Spotlight Festival and the August Wilson Monologue Competition - excellent work, VAPA Dons!
• Congratulations to the VHHS Marching Dons for winning FIRST place in Band, Color Guard and Sweepstakes @ the LAUSD Championships!
• Congratulations to the VHHS Marching Dons for ranking first and second in Band, Color Guard & Percussion competitions in Hacienda Heights, Simi-Valley and Ontario! 
• Congratulations to the Varsity and JV DTASC teams for their success at the festivals! Kudos to finalist, Sara Weed and semi-finalists Michaela Mahoney & Vincent Mahoney. 
• Thank you to our a cappella singers Makeshift Harmonies for performing at Mt. Gleason Middle.