2025 Awards for Excellence in the Arts (AEA) Ceremony
The Washington, DC Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters held its 2025 Awards for Excellence in the Arts (AEA) ceremony May 29, 2025, at the National Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC. Twenty six high school juniors from schools in the Washington Metropolitan Area were honored for excellence in NSAL’s six arts categories.
The AEA program is unique among NSAL chapters. NSAL DC member Helen Henderson inspired our chapter to recognize area high school juniors with an Award for Excellence (AEA) or a Certificate of Merit. Faculty members choose the honorees. Each year since 2003, excepting three years during the Covid pandemic, the AEA program has recognized talented juniors from area high schools and arts programs in visual art, dance, drama, music (instrumental and vocal), musical theater and literature.
There is no charge for schools or students to participate in AEA.
These honors are announced early during students’ junior year. As such, they can serve as a point of distinction on resumes and college applications. In addition, each year student honorees are recognized during a ceremony, in April or May. All student honorees are invited to audition for a chance to perform as seniors at the following year's AEA ceremony.
Thank you to the Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation for its continued support and making AEA free for all participants.
NSAL-DC Member Edgar Farr Russell III emceed the event. AEA event chair Seth Arenstein interviewed the performers including Asia Marina Burka, 2024 AEA Honoree in Dance, Vocal Music and Drama, National Cathedral School, Washington, D.C. She performed a Malaysian folk song and a tribal dance from Malaysian Borneo.
Olivia Gonzales, Soprano from Rice University, Houston, Texas is an NSAL-DC 2025 Winston Vocal Honoree. She performed vocal pieces by Jules Massenet, Edvard Grieg and Ned Rorem accompanied by Paul Rosson on the piano.
NSAL-DC Executive Board members Ronald Ivey and Daisy Berexa presented certificates to students.
Ahmena Jones, 2024 AEA Honoree in Instrumental Music from Bishop McNamara High School, Forestville, Md. performed the Andante Cantabile in F Minor for Unaccompanied Saxophone by Carlo Paessler (1774-1865)
Isabel Marcus, Soprano from the University of Maryland, College Park is an NSAL-DC 2025 Winston Vocal Honoree. She performed vocal pieces by Mozart and Gilbert & Sullivan accompanied by Paul Rosson on the piano.
Hadley Jones is a 2024 AEA Honoree in Musical Theater from Heritage High School, Leesburg, VA. She performed show tunes from Ghost and The Addams Family.
Ellizabeth Chen is the NSAL-DC 2025 Winston Art Scholarship winner who also won first place at the National competition. She discussed her art work displayed on the overhead screen.
Celia Josephs, Chair of NSAL-DC’s Winston Art Scholarships & Frank Wright Awards presented some of the 2025 awardees.
Schools who are interested in participating next year should contact Seth Arenstein by email, mobile phone or text: Arensteinsk85NSAL@gmail.com or 571 236 2896
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