Congratulations to Douglas Anderson School of the Arts for being honored as an Exemplary School by the Arts Schools Network! ASN designates Exemplary Schools in recognition of outstanding efforts in strategically evaluating their purpose, operations, plans, and educational programs. DASOTA was one of only 11 schools across the nation earning this distinction. DASOTA Arts Director Natalie Hyder and Principal Timothy Feagins attended the conference in Washington, D.C. last week to receive the award.
Douglas Anderson is the only school in Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) to have students recognized as winners in the prestigious 2025 YoungArts competition. This remarkable achievement reinforces Douglas Anderson’s position as a leader in arts education and a beacon for nurturing exceptional talent.
This year’s winners include five outstanding students who excelled across multiple artistic disciplines:
Rory Ames – Jazz/Piano
Selena Nejal – Voice/Popular
Grace Klefman – Theater/Musical
Lucien Martin – Theater/Spoken
Samuel Nelson – Theater/Musical (Winner with Distinction)
These awards highlight not only the incredible talent and dedication of Douglas Anderson’s students but also the school’s unwavering commitment to fostering creativity and artistic growth.
Congratulations to the following students who were recognized at the October DCPS School Board Meeting for receiving the National Scholastic Arts & Writing Award.
Samantha Lee-Duffell
Nora Morrow
Kierra Reese
Shanwill Wang
England Townsend (not pictured)
Alla Ivantsov (not pictured)
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts sophomore Alayna Martus, a Musical Theatre major, is set to star in an industry reading of "The Turning," a new folk thriller musical by Drama Desk Award-winning composer Zack Zadek. The presentation was on December 10 on Theatre Row Off-Broadway.
Martus, who previously performed on Broadway as Young Nala in The Lion King, portrayed the lead role of Charlie in this thrilling production.
"Alayna represents the best of DA: hard-working, driven and committed. She came to DA a year after she left Broadway's "The Lion King," and it would be easy for her to rest on her laurels and coast. But that is not Alayna. She comes to class every day prepared and willing to grow. I am not surprised she's earned another great opportunity and am certain there will be many more to come," shares Joe Kemper, Douglas Anderson Theatre Department Chair.
"The Turning" follows the story of two best friends searching for healing at a California wellness retreat, which ultimately reveals itself to be far more than it seems. Featuring a book and score by Zack Zadek, the creative team also includes music director Geoffrey Ko, score supervisor Danielle Gimbal, and general management by Baseline Theatrical. Benton Whitley and Mark Lunsford of Decade Arts produce the project.
The Jacksonville community is thrilled to celebrate Martus’s achievements as she represents the exceptional talent cultivated at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Be sure to follow the school’s social media platforms for a special post celebrating her success.
Congratulations to ten of our Douglas Anderson School of the Arts students who earned a scholarship through the DA Foundation to participate in various summer institutes prior to this school year to receive instruction from world renowned artists.
Those ten students were:
Vitaliy Fedchenko: Piano
Miles Melanson: Musical theatre
Jaslyn Dickerson: Creative Writing
Michael Mollison: Orchestra
Chloe Kolenc: Orchestra
Sam Rajashekar: Vocal
Aiden Bower: Band
Jon Ashton Reid: Theatre
Isabelle Golemo: Dance
Madison Matthews: Visual Arts
These ten students participated in a brunch last week with the DA Foundation Board to speak about their experiences and some even had the opportunity to perform. This is another example of opportunities for our students artists that will prepare them in the pursuit of their goals. Enjoy the pictures.