2026 Festival Showcase Honorees

The New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival is the statewide culminating celebration of the arts dedicated to inspiring New Jersey teen artists, educators, professional artists, and arts advocates from across the state to unite as one grand all-inclusive community.

After an incredible celebration of creativity, and talent and hard work, it's time to recognize the outstanding individuals and groups who truly shined.

Each of these honorees captivated our adjudicators and audience with their passion, and talented excellence.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to all participants and their selfless educators; your contributions made this festival what we envisioned during the months of planning.

Thank you to all the schools that received nominations from your county teen arts festival adjudicators and took the time to plan for your talented students to attend, we acknowledge that is not an easy task.

Click Here To See How Students Were Adjudicated On Their Specific Art Forms

Learn More About Our Gold Showcase Honorees

  • 2D VISUAL ARTS -Sophia Ciesla - Metuchen High School
  • 3D VISUAL ARTS -Kyle Tang - Hillsborough Middle School
  • CREATIVE WRITING -Sofia Torreblanco - Absegami High School
  • POETRY - Juliana Kropinack -Lenape Valley Regional High School
  • DANCE - JMSA Dance Company -Jose Martin Stem Academy
  • FILMMAKING - Evan Gabriel - Grunin Performing Arts Academy & Nicholas D'Augostino - Millville High School
  • SMALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC -Southern Regional String Ensemble - Southern Regional High School
  • SMALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - Addi Ivaturi & Saish Nagnur - Hillsborough Middle School
  • LARGE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - PCTVS Jazz Band - Passaic County Technical Institute
  • PIANO - Maria Kricachko - Matawan Regional High School

 

  • GUITAR - Steven Herrara DeJesus - Passaic County Technical Institute
  • LARGE MUSICAL THEATER - Cast of The Spongebob Musical - Delaware Valley Regional High School
  • SMALL MUSICAL THEATER - The Spartan Players - Ocean Twp. High School
  • SMALL MUSICAL THEATER (SOLOISTS) - Brianna Iocona - Woodstown High School
  • LARGE THEATER - Troupe 6185 - Grunin Performing Arts Academy
  • SMALL THEATER - Noah Barsocchi, Paul Esmond, & Aaron Coar - Camden Catholic High School
  • SMALL THEATER (MONOLOGUES) - Stephan O'Neill - Oakcrest High School
  • LARGE VOCAL MUSIC - Woodstown High School Camber Choir - Woodstown High School
  • SMALL VOCAL MUSIC - Pembertones Tenor/Bass Ensemble - Pemberton Twp. High School
  • SMALL VOCAL MUSIC (SOLOISTS) - Cristina Garcia - Mother Seton Regional High School
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Learn More About Our Silver Showcase Honorees

  • 2D VISUAL ARTS - Rebecca Torres - Phillipsburg High School
  • 3D VISUAL ARTS - Bisakha Basnet - Lawrence High School
  • CREATIVE WRITING - Ashlynne Goble - Point Pleasant Borough High School
  • POETRY  -Macy Bruere - Wallkill Valley Regional High School
  • DANCE - Vineland High School Dance Ensemble - Vineland High School
  • FILMMAKING - Kami Lopez, Nori Griffiths, Drew Vandenbrouk - Communications High School
  • SMALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - Oakcrest Jazz Ambassadors- Oakcrest High School
  • SMALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - Golden Quintet - Delaware Valley Regional High School
  • LARGE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - PAAAS Wind Ensemble - Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies
  • PIANO- Ceasar Miranda - Passaic County Technical Institute

 

  • GUITAR - Abigail Kistler - Middletown Township High School South
  • LARGE MUSICAL THEATER - JMSA Theater Department - Jose Marti STEM Academy
  • SMALL MUSICAL THEATER - Sabrian Tamayo - Jackson Twp. High School
  • SMALL MUSICAL THEATER (SOLOISTS) - Paul Antonelli - Manville High School
  • LARGE THEATER - Middletown High School South Theater Arts Club - Middletown High School South
  • SMALL THEATER - North Plainfield Drama Club - North Plainfield High School
  • SMALL THEATER (MONOLOGUES) - Marissa Ramos - Memorial High School
  • LARGE VOCAL MUSIC - TJAA Acapella Choir - Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
  • SMALL VOCAL MUSIC - Cherokee High School Chamber Ensemble - Cherokee High School
  • SMALL VOCAL MUSIC (SOLOISTS) - Darien Stoll - Passaic County Technical Institute
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Learn More About Our BRONZE Showcase Honorees

  • 2D VISUAL ARTS - Chiara Byrnes - Wall High School
  • 3D VISUAL ARTS - Melanie Garcia - Monroe Twp. High School
  • CREATIVE WRITING - Evelyn Stech - Ocean City High School
  • POETRY - Mishti Bajaj - John P. Stevens High School
  • DANCE - Anne Marie Giacchi - Pope John XXIII High School
  • FILMMAKING - Dulce Garrido Palma - Achievers Early College Prep
  • LARGE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - North Bergen High School Wind Ensemble - North Bergen High School
  • SMALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - Orange Prep Academy Jazz Band - Orange Preparatory Academy of Inquiry & Innovation
  • SMALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - Pinelands Regional High School Modern Band - Pinelands Regional High School
  • PIANO - John DiRichie - Mainland High School
  • GUITAR - John Roberts & Brendan Madden - Camden Catholic High School
  • LARGE MUSICAL THEATER - Pinelands Thespians - Pinelands Regional High School
  • SMALL MUSICAL THEATER - Chloe Tucker - Pinelands Regional High School
  • SMALL MUSICAL THEATER (SOLOISTS) - Hannah Cohen - Haddonfield Memorial High School
  • LARGE THEATER - Red Devil Dramatics - Rancocas Valley Regional High School
  • SMALL THEATER - Iris Quinones & Nichole Merlos - Memorial High School
  • SMALL THEATER (MONOLOGUES) - Jadon Neil - Trenton Central High School
  • LARGE VOCAL MUSIC - Cherokee High School Concert Choir - Cherokee High School
  • SMALL VOCAL MUSIC - Voices in Harmony - Orange High School
  • SMALL VOCAL MUSIC (SOLOISTS) - Nash Daniels - Cherokee High School
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