EDHS OC ARTIST OF THE YEAR SEMIFINALISTS

The OC Register published the names of their 2025 OC Artist of the Year Semifinalists today. (https://www.ocregister.com/.../orange-county-high-school.../) El Dorado has 5 semifinalists; JD Cavalluzzi (Film and TV), James Conlee (Film and TV), JD Cavalluzzi (Theater), Avalina Thomas (Vocal Music) and Alyssa Abernethy (Media Arts). The Register will announce the Finalists next Sunday, April 27th.

2025 OC ARTIST OF THE YEAR SEMI-FINALISTS

JD Cavalluzzi, senior, FILM AND TV

“Frankly, I started directing to prove a point. I’ve been an active member of my school’s video program for all of high school, and, at some point last year, I picked up on the fact that most of the other filmmakers in the program didn’t think I took filmmaking seriously and didn’t think I was very good at it (I have been called El Dorado’s most underrated director). This past summer, I set out to change that perception. I wanted to have at least one high-quality project under my belt going into senior year, so, last August, I took everything I’d learned from being on sets and attending workshops and coming to class every day, and put it into a music video. I learned a lot about the kind of director I want to be from that project.”

James Conlee, senior, FILM AND TV

“I was diagnosed with ADHD in the 2nd grade and the idea of working in visual arts has always been a constant magnet. First it was illustration, then animation, now I want to be a cinematographer. Junior year I realized I am not always great at articulating my words and how I feel. It’s a common obstacle when having ADHD. Whenever timed writing prompts were assigned in class, I always noticed that my brain ran faster than the pen in my hand, so I never finished. However I found that visual arts like cinematography was an outlet. It was a way for me to communicate without my words and just purely through light and movement. That’s how I found my passion for cinematography.”

JD Cavalluzzi, senior, THEATER

“To me, art is as innate as breathing. I grew up amidst a backdrop of after-school-care crafts and piano lessons, musicals and iMovie productions, smudged paintings and coloring pages. I’ve been an artist my entire life, and I’m certain I wouldn’t be who I am today if that weren’t the case. … Through my experience in both film and theatre, I’ve come to deeply value stories and the people behind them. Theater is live, and therefore charged with reality. … Success in finding that reality comes from a deep understanding of yourself and a deeper empathy for others. Great artists listen. Being an artist has changed how I listen to the world around me.”

Avalina Thomas, junior, VOCAL MUSIC

“Over the past years I’ve focused on classical and pop music, two genres I’m really comfortable in. More recently, I’ve discovered I’m not as two-dimensional in my musicality as I had thought. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I dove into songwriting that I discovered a deep passion for putting music to emotions, especially ones I had difficulty expressing. I found songwriting as an outlet for me and an escape from the repetitiveness of high school life. I owe a lot to my guitar and piano no matter how basic the chords I play may be, because everytime I express myself through my songwriting I feel a shift in perspective. As the problems of day to day life make the walls seem like they are closing in, I feel renewed inspiration and remember why I sing.”

Alyssa Abernethy, senior, MEDIA ARTS

“The years I have spent studying graphic design and digital illustration have truly changed the way I see the world. Recognizing the world for the inherently artistic and design-driven place that it is has given me a great appreciation for both the graphic design work that I do for my clients and the aesthetic value of my everyday surroundings. The most fulfilling experience in my design journey so far has been the opportunity to create designs for local clients, such as logos, flyers, branding, and even a set of Boy Scouts patches featuring various mythical creatures.”