Director's Note
Winding down? Ha! Not NESA!
As we roll into the final stretch of the school year, you might expect things to slow down—but that is simply not the NESA way! This past weekend was a breathtaking testament to the dedication, passion, and sheer talent of our incredible students and faculty. We have so much to celebrate, and I am incredibly proud to share these phenomenal updates with you.
A Historic Night at the Joci Awards
On Sunday evening, NESA shone brightly at the Las Casas Foundation’s Joci Awards held at the historic Majestic Theatre. For those who may not know, the Joci Awards are the pinnacle of high school musical theatre recognition in Texas, offering regional celebrating of the arts and distributing life-changing scholarships to talented young artists. To even be nominated is a massive achievement.
Out of 49 musical productions adjudicated across the state of Texas, NESA’s production of Sweeney Todd was chosen as one of the top six, earning the privilege of performing an excerpt live on the Majestic stage.
Our students swept the individual and ensemble categories in a historic showing. Please join me in celebrating these incredible achievements:
- In Dance: Congratulations to Taylor DeLeon and Abbey Love for beautifully representing NESA. Addi Garza took home 3rd place, and Cameron Rogers earned 2nd place!
- Best Actor in a Musical: Luke Woodruff took home 3rd place.
- Best Vocal Performance: A massive showing for NESA! Tying for 3rd place were Alexis Aplet and Myla Clayton, with Clara Sankey taking 2nd place, and our very own River Gannon winning 1st place!
- Best Actor: Won by the incredible Francesca Santos.
- Best Actress in a Musical: Won by the brilliant Isabella Cervera.
- Honorees & Special Awards: Congratulations to honorees Addison Pounds, Grant Tuder, Ellie Hunter, Casey Finn, and Sophia Townsend. A special shout-out to honoree Lucas Wise, who won a full-ride scholarship to the prestigious NEXUS summer program!
- Grand Prizes: Francesca Santos was named the top overall performer of the night, winning a $10,000 scholarship. Isabella Cervera will be advancing to the national Jimmy Awards in New York City this summer!
- Best Musical: In a thrilling conclusion to the night, Sweeney Todd tied for the title of TOP MUSICAL in the state!
Because of the hard work of these students and their directors, NESA brought home a grand total of $76,000 in scholarships last night! We are in awe of your talent and dedication.
Cinematic Excellence at the 800Lb Film Festival
The excitement actually started on Saturday, as the NESA Film & Cinema department hosted the spectacular 800Lb Film Festival.
It was a brilliant day filled with industry screenings, insightful Q&A sessions, live script readings, and a high-stakes pitch contest. The festival culminated in a breathtaking Marquee screening, showcasing the profound storytelling and technical mastery of our student filmmakers. Thank you to everyone who came out to support our visual storytellers!
The Week Ahead: Joyous Celebrations
Holy moly... we are not done yet! This week is packed with milestone events as we bid farewell to the Class of 2026:
- Senior Showcases: Catch our Musical Theatre and Dance seniors leaving it all on the stage.
- Instrumental Music Showcase: Our world-class instrumental musicians will be performing at the stunning Tobin Center.
- The NESA Banquet: Time to let loose and celebrate the year at the official party of the season!
- Graduation: The big day arrives this Sunday!
It is an incredibly busy week, but I cannot complain for a single second. Every bit of this exhaustion comes from a place of joyous celebration for our students' bright futures.
Thank you, teachers, for guiding them; thank you, parents, for supporting them; and thank you, students, for inspiring us every single day. Let's make these final weeks unforgettable!