Five Douglas Anderson School of the Arts students who recently won the 2025 YoungArts Competition are now set to perform at the school’s upcoming annual Extravaganza taking place at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts next month.
The 2025 YoungArts winners are Winner of Distinction, Samuel Nelson, theatre/musical; Rory Ames, jazz/piano; Grace Klefman, theatre/musical; Lucien Martin, theatre/spoken and Selena Nejal, voice/popular.
“We are thrilled to celebrate our students’ success on the national stage,” said Douglas Anderson Principal Timothy Feagins, “Being the only DCPS school with YoungArts winners is an incredible honor and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements.”
The YoungArts winners will also participate in mentorship sessions with world-renowned artists, performances and showcases with YoungArts Distinction Winner Samuel Nelson representing Douglas Anderson during YoungArts Week which will be held in Miami this month.
“Winning YoungArts feels like the realization of a vision, a testament to the hours of hard work, late nights, and unwavering passion I’ve poured into my craft,” said Nelson.
“But this achievement isn’t mine alone,” Nelson added. “Douglas Anderson has been the foundation of my journey, a place where mentors nurtured my talent, friends cheered me on and the community shaped me into the artist I am today. This award reflects not just my efforts, but the love, faith, and support that surrounded me every step of the way. This award is not my victory, it’s ours.”
YoungArts alumni include well known artists Viola Davis, Billy Porter and Tarell Alvin McCraney. Neveah Glover, a 2024 YoungArts winner, went on to receive the Presidential Scholar Award in Writing, one of the highest national honors for high school students in the arts.
The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Extravaganza, to be held on February 1, will feature music, dance, theatre and visual arts. Tickets go on sale this month and are available through Ticketmaster.
