• PEORIA UNIFIED CELEBRATES 126 STUDENTS WHO EARNED ARIZONA STATE SEAL OF ARTS PROFICIENCY

     

    Peoria Unified is proud to announce that 126 students earned 135 Arizona State Seals of Arts Proficiency. The 126 students represent all seven high schools in Peoria Unified and all art disciplines, including dance, music, theatre, visual arts and media arts. Of the 126 students, seven students earned a double seal and one student, Dawn Drake of Peoria High School, earned a triple seal in dance, music (choir/band) and theatre.

    A student earning a triple seal is rare, highlighting the significance of Drake’s achievement. “The arts have been a huge part of my life and who I am today,” said Drake when asked why she wanted to triple seal. Drake had positive experiences in the arts programs which she says made her a better, kinder, and more hard-working individual. After graduation, Drake plans to attend a design and art school in Colorado to major in fashion design.

    In the 2023-24 school year, Peoria Unified had the fourth-highest number of arts seals of all districts in Arizona. The number of Arizona State Seals of Arts Proficiency earned during the 2024-25 school year represents a new record in Peoria Unified for the total number of seals earned. Additionally, the seven students earning a double seal represent over 13% of the total number of students in Arizona to double seal.

    “We are proud to have 126 students be recognized with the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency, and grateful for the dedicated arts educators in Peoria Unified who helped to guide and mentor these students through the process. The achievement of these students is a demonstration of Peoria Unified’s commitment to arts education,” said Robert Panzer, Director of Arts Education for Peoria Unified.

    The following Peoria Unified students earned the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency.

    From Cactus High School:

    • Alixandra Knight - Visual Art
    • Brooke Wolek - Visual Art
    • Christine Koenig - Dance, Theatre
    • Daniel Cook - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Emily McNutt - Visual Art
    • Isela Tovar - Theatre
    • Ivy Tramel - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Kathleen Rutten - Visual Art
    • Trevor Fowler - Visual Art

    From Centennial High School:

    • Abigail Bess - Dance
    • Abigail Harris - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Aidia Jones - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Alyssa Lemmerz - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Amber Poirier - Theatre
    • Ashton Lauletta - Visual Art
    • Bailee Olsen - Dance
    • Bonnie Harraway - Dance
    • Brynnlee Esquibel - Theatre
    • Caaliyah Williams - Theatre
    • Daria Krasnobaieva - Visual Art
    • Elaine Dynes - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Hannah Christians - Theatre
    • Ian Prevendar - Theatre
    • Israel Aguilar - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Jacob Sajan - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Jaxon Reese - Theatre
    • Jeremy Borgstadt - Visual Art
    • Joash Benjamin Esmas - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Karla Ojeda - Dance
    • Lexie (Aeryn) Le - Theatre
    • Madelyn Becker - Dance
    • Nathaniel (Salem) Rubio - Theatre
    • Rebekah (Ruth) Darby - Theatre
    • Ryian Hurd - Visual Art
    • Sarah Stakland - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Soriana Garcia - Visual Art
    • Sylvan McLean-Daya - Visual Art
    • Valerie (Blaze) Winston - Theatre
    • Zyonna Gwin - Theatre

    From Ironwood High School:

    • Caroline White - Visual Art
    • Colin Mailman - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Isabella Hernandez-Yadon - Dance
    • Trinity Haver - Music (Choir/Band), Theatre
    • Zayla Spivey - Dance

    From Liberty High School:

    • Allison Black - Theatre
    • Avery Szymoniak - Visual Art
    • Brynlee Nally - Visual Art
    • Chelsi Grasteit - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Davipadma Vanniamparampath - Visual Art
    • Elsa Slemmons - Theatre
    • Frankie Cappello - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Giselle Mendez - Visual Art
    • Hugo Coronel-Colvin - Visual Art
    • Jaden Medina - Theatre
    • Kaitlyn McCoy - Theatre
    • Kierstyn Glover - Visual Art
    • Kimberly Naung - Visual Art
    • Marcie Kluyt - Visual Art
    • Tara Frooninckx - Visual Art

    From Peoria High School:

    • Angelica Rodriguez - Visual Art
    • Angelina Gleba - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Briseis Rivero - Visual Art
    • Caedence Cowand - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Caeley Ramsey - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Camila Melendez - Theatre
    • Cassandra Santiago - Dance
    • Cimeirah Salaam - Dance
    • Cristopher Ramirez - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Dawn Drake - Dance, Music (Choir/Band), Theatre
    • Dominic Barro - Dance
    • Edward Brehm - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Elijah Griffin - Visual Art
    • Emily Contreras - Visual Art
    • Evelin Ramirez Zavala - Dance
    • Giovanna Soto - Dance, Music (Choir/Band)
    • Hailey Demartino - Music (Choir/Band), Theatre
    • Haylee Burris - Dance
    • Isaiah Aguiniga - Visual Art
    • Jayven Begaye - Visual Art
    • Kelsey Mendez - Dance
    • Keza Mbanza - Dance
    • Kiersten Cook - Dance
    • Michelle Orahim - Visual Art
    • Rita Youkhana - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Shianne Muniz - Dance
    • Sorin Smith - Theatre
    • Veronica Vantussenbroek - Dance

    From Raymond S. Kellis High School:

    • Angelica Laughner - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Anniemae Laughner - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Annjanette M. Hernandez - Visual Art
    • Arthur Burgess - Theatre
    • Ethan Y. Kim - Visual Art
    • Jalissa Samuel - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Joseph Bundy - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Kayla Zaca - Visual Art
    • Keira East - Dance
    • Maliah J. Ayala - Visual Art
    • Miranda Khoury - Dance
    • Natalie Nessi - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Reagan Hall - Visual Art
    • Selene Mora - Dance
    • Tillian Blum - Theatre, Visual Art
    • Tracy Snider - Dance
    • Vince Cook - Theatre

    From Sunrise Mountain High School:

    • Alisha McIntyre - Visual Art
    • Amy Burris - Dance
    • Arianna Suleymanov - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Aubrey Figueroa - Music (Choir/Band), Theatre
    • Chelsea Runyon - Visual Art
    • David Pagan - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Drew Dawson - Visual Art
    • Dustin Wilson - Visual Art
    • Emily Reynolds - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Emmy Lange - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Evan Hedges - Theatre
    • Kahlan Adams - Dance
    • Kaleb Bice - Visual Art
    • Lauren Wallen - Visual Art
    • Madeleine Beers - Visual Art
    • Madison Newton - Dance, Music (Choir/Band)
    • Margaret Shepard - Theatre
    • Melia Moore - Music (Choir/Band)
    • Reagan Marshall - Dance
    • Rihanna Welsh - Visual Art
    • Rylan Ward - Dance
    • Scot Shaw - Music (Choir/Band)

    The Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency is awarded to high school students who obtain a minimum of four credits in an arts discipline with a GPA of 3.0 or better, 80 hours of arts-related extracurricular activities and a capstone project demonstrating proficiency in their discipline. Students that earned the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency will display a medallion as part of their graduation robes and will have a seal from the Arizona Department of Education affixed to their diploma.

    For more information about Peoria Unified’s art education programs, visit the district’s website at peoriaunified.org/artseducation.

    The “A” Rated Peoria Unified School District has 43 neighborhood schools, including one virtual school designed to meet the needs of all preK-12th grade students. For the past 135 years, Peoria Unified has been an Arizona public school district of choice, where students can receive a high-quality education rooted in the values that their families share. Students experience the best in academics, athletics and arts education where education is personalized to meet the needs of each child. Peoria Unified invests in programs which prepare every student for a successful future, including free full-day kindergarten, special education, gifted education and career and technical education. To continue its long history of success, the district maintains its focus on four key components of its strategic plan: Student Success, Safety and Well-Being, Stewardship of Community Resources and Community Connection. The Peoria Unified School District continuously pursues its vision of “Every student, every day, prepared to shape tomorrow.”

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