2026 Youth Excellence in Arts (YEA!) Awards &
Don Lewis “Say YES to Music” Grants
Established in 1997, the Youth Excellence in Arts (YEA!) recognizes and honors the artistic achievements of high school students in Pleasanton. The program highlights the importance of the arts as a vital form of human expression and encourages young artists to pursue their creative passions.
The Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council (PCAC) proudly hosted the 29th Annual Youth Excellence in Arts (YEA!) Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the Valley Community Church in Pleasanton. This event honored the artistic achievements of Pleasanton high school students, recognizing excellence in Music, Literary Arts, and Visual Arts. Awards and grants from $100 to $500 were awarded to selected aspiring artists. The Award Ceremony included inspiring musical performances and showcased exceptional work in multiple artistic disciplines.
MUSIC – RENE AND GORDON SMITH AWARDS
(Special thanks to our 2026 Music judges – Cindy Rosefield-Brown and Robert Huntington!)
1st Place: Celicia Thendean, piano – Chopin Etude in A Minor Op. 25 No. 11, “Winter Wind”
2nd Place: Aaron Jung, flute – Andante et Scherzo for Flute and Piano by Louis Game
3rd Place: Janet Chan, violin – Sibelius
Honorable Mention: Yujin Shin, violin – Saint Saens Violin Concerto No. 3, 1st Movement
LITERARY ARTS – DR MAX BIGGS AWARDS
(Special thanks to our 2026 Literary Arts judges – Jim Ott and Noel Fagerhaugh!)
1st Place: Yujin Shin – My Mother Could Fly
2nd Place: Seah Kim – Metamerism
3rd Place: Jayden Hyun – The Weight of Ink
Honorable Mention: Suhana Verma – A Message in a Bottle
VISUAL ARTS – PHYLLIS AND WILLIAM WENTWORTH AWARDS
(Special thanks to our 2026 Visual Arts judges – Joan Tenbrink and Ozell Hudson!)
1st Place: Jeffrey Liu – Allure (pastel)
2nd Place: Dana Yang – The Shape of Tenacity (white pastel on black paper)
3rd Place: Marie Chen – The Tide Keeper (watercolor)
Honorable Mention: Ananya Bare – Forested Village (pen and watercolor)
Honorable Mention: Chloe Im – Grief (charcoal)
Honorable Mention: Meera Joshi – Seen Life (charcoal)
Honorable Mention: Nirnaya Botlagunta – A Simple Life (acrylic)
Don Lewis “Say YES to Music!” Grants
The ceremony also included the presentation of the Don Lewis “Say Yes to Music!” Grants, which were established by the Rotary Club of Pleasanton in memory of the renowned musician Don Lewis. The 2026 grants support young musicians in furthering their education, purchasing instruments, and advancing their musical aspirations. Julie Lewis presented the grants with a compelling narrative about each student.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2026 GRANT RECIPIENTS!
Meghna Yamarthy – Violin ($500 Grant)
Xinqi (Emily) Wang – Piano ($1,000 Grant)
Yufei Shen – Viola ($1,000 Grant)
Celicia Thendean – Piano ($1,000 Grant)
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to the Grant Committee members: Joseph Hébert, MaryAnn Zahorsky, and Julie Lewis
PCAC extends its deepest appreciation to the esteemed judges who evaluated this year’s YEA! submissions:
Music: Cindy Rosefield-Brown, Robert Huntington
Literary Arts: Jim Ott, Noel Fagerhaugh
Visual Arts: Joan Tenbrink, Ozell Hudson
