2025-2026 FINE ARTS AWARDS

The 2025–2026 school year marked another incredible season for Rosehill Christian School Fine Arts. Competing at the highest level in TAPPS 4A, our students continued to build on a culture of excellence, growth, and perseverance across all disciplines.

From the stage to the concert hall, from the art studio to the academic arena, our students represented Rosehill with integrity, discipline, and a commitment to honoring the gifts God has given them. This year was defined not only by achievement but by consistency, teamwork, and a pursuit of excellence in every area.

TAPPS 2026 4A State Academic/Speech/Debate Championship Results:

ACADEMICS: STATE CHAMPIONS (1st Place – TAPPS 4A)
OVERALL (Speech + Academics Combined): STATE RUNNER-UP (2nd Place – TAPPS 4A)

TAPPS State Academic Awards:

William Salter—  State Champion, Social Studies; State Champion, Spelling; 7th Place, Current Issues and Events; 8th Place, Literary Criticism

Isaac LaRovere— Second State Runner-Up, Social Studies;

RJ Buzek— Second State Runner-Up, Spelling

Slade Saathoff— 4th Place, Calculator Applications; 4th Place, Science

Ryan Hamilton— 4th Place, Number Sense; 5th Place, Spelling; 8th Place, Calculator Applications

Graham Freeman— 5th Place, Calculator Applications; 6th Place, Science; 7th Place, Advanced Math; 7th Place, Number Sense

Catherine Gregory — 8th Place, TAPPS Mathematics

Jacob LaRovere— 8th Place, Number Sense

TAPPS State Speech Awards:

Brody Potts— 5th Place, Solo Acting

Ashlee Cain & Mason Wynn— 6th Place, Duet Acting

Mackenzie Wood— 6th Place, Poetry Interpretation

Eliora Prause— 6th Place, Original Oratory; 7th Place, Poetry Interpretation

Eliora Prause & Brody Potts— 7th Place, Duet Acting

TAPPS State Art Awards:

Grace Medina – 6th Place, Mixed Media

Eliora Prause – 7th Place, Computer Rendered Art

Lizzy Chartier – 8th Place, Seek & Sketch

TAPPS State Choir Results:

4th Place Overall – TAPPS 4A Vocal Championships

Solo & Ensemble:

  • Itzayana Garcia — The Water Is Wide (Folk Song) — Division I (Superior)

  • Anjubelle Lombard — Pietà, Signore! (Stradella) — Division I (Superior)

  • Eden Miller — Après un rêve (Fauré) — Division I (Superior)

  • Benjamin Moore — Into the Night (Edwards) — Division I (Superior)

  • Ava Nonmacher — Beau Soir (Debussy) — Division I (Superior)

  • Evangeline Russell — Danny Boy (Anon./Traditional) — Division I (Superior)

  • Morgan Russo — The Water Is Wide (Folk Song) — Division I (Superior)

  • Mackenzie Wood — Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile (Durante) — Division I (Superior)

  • Anna Buntrock — She’s Like a Swallow (Folk Song) — Division II (Excellent)

Large Ensemble:  Superior Ranking

TAPPS State Band & Drumline Results:

4th Place Overall – TAPPS 4A Band Championships

Large Ensemble: SWEEPSTAKES AWARD

Solo & Ensemble:

  • Eliora Prause (Flute) — Sicilienne

  • Preston Geil (Alto Saxophone) — Alla Gitana

  • Ryan Hamilton (Trumpet) — A Trumpeter’s Lullaby

  • Carson Hargrove (Snare Drum) — Seven and Six

  • Brooks Johnson (Snare Drum) — Seven and Six

Field Band:

  • First Division Superior Rating

  • 2nd Place Overall – TAPPS 4A Field Band

Drumline: First Division Superior Rating

TAPPS One Act Play - These Shining Lives:

6th Place Overall – TAPPS 4A State One Act Play Competition

TAPPS District Honors 2025

  • Preston Geil –  Division II District 4 Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Ava “Debi” Nonmacher –  Division II District 4 Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Mackenzie Wood –  Division II District 4 Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Carson Hargrove – Division II District 4 All-Star Cast

  • Brooks Johnson –  Division II District 4 All-Star Cast

  • Eliora Prause –  Division II District 4 All-Star Cast

  • Ashlee Cain –  Division II District 4 All-Star Technician

TAPPS State Honors 2025

  • Ava “Debi” Nonmacher – State Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Mackenzie Wood – State Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Carson Hargrove – State All-Star Cast

  • Ashlee Cain – State All-Star Technician

PSIA One Act Play - Too Fabulous To Fail:

3rd Place Overall – PSIA District 4 One Act Play Competition

BEST TECHNICAL CREW in the district

PSIA District Honors 2026

  • Rory Smith –  District 4 Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Race Jasso –  District 4 Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Olivia Justice–  District 4 Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

  • Colin Blacketer – District 4 All-Star Cast

  • Annabelle Heyward –  District 4 All-Star Cast

  • Lillie Kusak –  District 4 All-Star Cast

  • Reagan Lee – District 4 All-Star Technician

PSIA Academics and Speech Awards:

Placed as a Top 10 overall school, with numerous students earning top-six finishes in their respective categories

PSIA State Qualifiers 2026

  • Eva Stefanov – 1st Place, Storytelling (3rd Grade)

  • Daniel Stefanov – 2nd Place, Oral Interpretation (4th Grade)

  • Mia Wood – 1st Place, Oral Interpretation (5th Grade)

  • Ella Flowers – 2nd Place, Oral Interpretation (5th Grade)

  • Kinch Koehn – 2nd Place, Number Sense (5th Grade)

  • Joel Castilla – 2nd Place, Spelling

  • Rory Smith – 1st Place, Oral Interpretation (7/8 Division)

Additional District Finalists:

  • Davoni Cammack – 2nd Place (Alternate), Storytelling

  • Brayden Herrington – 5th Place, Oral Interpretation

  • Mason Knight – 4th Place, Impromptu Speaking; 3rd Place (Alternate), Oral Interpretation

  • Emmeline Lombard – 4th Place, Spelling; 5th Place, Music Memory; 6th Place, Number Sense

  • Charlee Cochran – 6th Place, Oral Interpretation

2024-2025 FINE ARTS AWARDS

After winning the state title last year, RCS faced new challenges in the contest being a full month earlier this year, as well as changing classifications from 3A to 4A, which more than doubled the number of competitive teams. Facing the stiffest competition to date, RCS students rose to the challenge, encouraged each other, never gave up, and, as a team, RCS was the STATE CHAMPION out of all TAPPS 4A schools in a decisive 35-point victory. This is the third time RCS has been named the State Champion in this contest which garners with it 10 Henderson Cup points. RCS was also the State Champion in Speech and in Academics. Additionally, senior Gili Gould was named the “Virginia Wirth Distinguished Speaker" award for the second year in a row for being the top speech competitor in the state. It was an amazing time of teamwork, friendship, service, and triumph as this 36-member team represented their school and their Savior well.

TAPPS 2025 4A State Academic/Speech/Debate Championship Results:

OVERALL: STATE CHAMPIONS (Back-to-Back)

SPEECH: STATE CHAMPIONS

ACADEMICS: STATE CHAMPIONS

Virginia Wirth Distinguished Speaker (All-Around Best State Speech Competitor):  

Gili Gould

Poetry Interpretation:

Gili Gould--Gold Medal (3-time State Champion) 

Katherine Burleson--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

Solo Acting:

Gili Gould--Gold Medal (State Champion) 

Ava Swank--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

Prose Interpretation:

Gili Gould--Gold Medal (3-time State Champion) 

Ava Swank--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

Duet Acting: 

Ava Swank & Anjelica Swank--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

Katherine Burleson & Evan Cassels--5th Place

Gili Gould & Eden Miller--7th Place

Original Oratory:

Rachel Spurgeon--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

Isaac LaRovere--6th Place 

Eliora Prause--8th Place

Persuasive Speaking: 

Rachel Spurgeon--5th Place

Spelling:

RJ Buzek--Gold Medal (State Champion) 

Ryan Hamilton--5th Place

Spanish:

David Gomez----Gold Medal (State Champion)

Itzayana Garcia--4th Place

Ready Writing:

Hannah Bridwell--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

Calculator:

Graham Freeman--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

Number Sense:

Graham Freeman--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

Literary Criticism: 

Hannah Bridwell--4th Place

Social Studies:

William Salter--4th Place

Ryan Hamilton--7th Place

Advanced Math:

Graham Freeman--5th place

TAPPS Math:

Daniel Hartman--6th Place

Science:

Ben Buntrock--7th Place

Graham Freeman--8th Place

Yearbook:

4th Place

TAPPS State Art Awards:

Debbie Nonmacher- State Champion Short Film

Izzy Hartman - 4th place Color Drawing

Eliora Prause - 5th place Computer Rendered Art

Ivy Williams - 7th place Relief

TAPPS State Field Band & Drumline Results:

FIELD BAND: First Division Superior Rating

5th Place in Field Band

DRUMLINE:  First Division Superior Rating

3rd Place in Drumline

TAPPS State Band Results:

ALL First Division Superior Rating

  • State PSIA medalists:

    2nd STORYTELLING:

    Rebecca Spurgeon        FIRST PLACE  (State Champion)

    1st STORYTELLING:

    Cashner Arnold         SIXTH PLACE 

    5th PROSE INTERPRETATION:

    Kenzie Wood               FIRST PLACE  (State Champion)

    6th PROSE INTERPRETATION:

    Richard Salter         FIRST PLACE  (State Champion)

    7/8 PROSE INTERPRETATION:

    Tindall May:               SECOND PLACE  (State Runner-Up)

    Anjelica Swank:       FIFTH PLACE

    MODERN ORATORY:

    Mallory Herrera   THIRD PLACE

    IMPROMPTU SPEAKING:

    Sarah Powell   THIRD PLACE

    VOCABULARY 5:

    Anna Buntrock   THIRD PLACE

    MUSIC MEMORY 6:

    Preston Geil   FOURTH PLACE

    DICTIONARY SKILLS 7:

    Isaac LaRovere FIFTH PLACE

  • OVERALL: STATE CHAMPIONS

    SPEECH: STATE CHAMPIONS

    ACADEMICS: STATE CHAMPIONS

    INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:

    Jeff Shelton Distinguished Academic Student (All-Around Best State Academic Competitor):  

    Matthew Grimm  & Trevor Manning (tie)

    Prose Interpretation:

    Anna Fisher--Gold Medal (State Champion) 

    Chloe Geil--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

    Abby Turney--5th Place

    Poetry Interpretation:

    Chloe Geil--Gold Medal (State Champion) 

    Abby Turney--5th Place

    Sam Olivares--6th Place

    Duet Acting: 

    Austin Cappleman & Maddy Beth Newell--Silver Medal (State Runner-up) 

    Abby Turney & Anna Fisher--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

    Chloe Geil & Jaeden Johnson--4th Place

    Solo Acting:

    Ellie Tewell--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

    Abby Turney--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

    Chloe Geil--7th Place

    Literary Criticism: 

    Tyler Tewell--Gold Medal (State Champion) 

    Lauren Culwell--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

    Ready Writing:

    Isabel Fisher---Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

    Alexis Swain--4th Place

    Advanced Math:

    Matthew Grimm----Gold Medal (State Champion) 

    Trevor Manning--4th Place

    Allie Vasseur--6th Place

    Science:

    Matthew Grimm----Gold Medal (State Champion) 

    Trevor Manning--5th Place

    Mathematics:

    Sam Swain----Bronze Medal (3rd place) 

    Current Events:

    Lauren Culwell--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

    Curtis Higginbotham--6th Place

    LD Debate:

    Kassidy Mentze--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

    Alexis Swain--5th Place 

    Number Sense:

    Trevor Manning--Silver Medal (State Runner-up)

    Jonathan Vuong--8th Place

    Original Oratory:

    Breah Ellison--Bronze Medal (3rd place)

    Alexis Swain--5th Place

    Curtis Higginbotham--8th Place

    Spelling:

    Jonathan Vuong--Bronze Medal (3rd place) 

    Thea Buntrock--6th Place 

    Persuasive Speaking: 

    Alexis Swain--4th Place 

    Kassidy Mentze--6th Place 

    Austin Cappleman--8th Place

    Social Studies:

    Thomas Gehrke--7th Place 

    Spanish:

    Trevor Manning--7th Place (tie)

    Alex Smith--7th Place (tie)

    Calculator:

    Trevor Manning--7th Place 

    James Sanchez--8th Place

  • POETRY INTERPRETATION:

    Katherine Burleson:   FIRST PLACE (State Champion)

    Ava Swank:       THIRD PLACE

    Gili Gould:       FOURTH PLACE

    MODERN ORATORY:

    Maggie Herrera:   SECOND PLACE (State Runner-Up)

    Lilly Burk:   THIRD PLACE

    IMPROMPTU SPEAKING:

    Rachel Spurgeon:       FOURTH PLACE

  • District Competition - 1st Place

    TAPPS Division II State Competition - 2nd Place

    Honorable Mention All-Star Cast:

    • Curtis Higginbotham

    • Anna Fisher

    • Sam Olivares

    All-Star Crew:

    • Ainsley Filip and Lauren Culwell

  • District Competition - 1st Place

    Individual Awards:   

    • Best Actor: Jaeden Johnson 

    • Best Actress: Abby Turney 

    All-Star Crew:

    • Samantha Strange

    Honorable Mention All-Star Cast:

    • Jackson Wynn

    • Anna Fisher

    • Austin Cappleman

    TAPPS State Competition

    Individual Awards

    • All-Star Cast

      • Abby Turney 

      • Chloe Geil

    Honorable Mention Cast

    • Jaeden Johnson

    All-Star Crew

    • Samantha Strange

    • TAPPS Academics, Speech, Debate Overall State Runner-up

    • TAPPS Speech State Runner-up

    • TAPPS All-Around Best State Speech Competitor

    • TAPPS All-Around Best State Academic Competitor

    • TAPPS Solo Acting State Champion

    • TAPPS Mathematics State Champion

    • TAPPS Advanced Mathematics State Champion

    • TAPPS Physics State Champion

    • TAPPS Solo Acting State Runner-up

    • TAPPS Prose Interpretation State Runner-up

    • TAPPS Duet Acting State Runner-up

    • TAPPS Poetry Interpretation State Runner-up

    • TAPPS Current Events State Runner-up