In Southern California, the entertainment and arts capital of the world, several high schools compete to train the future generation of artists.compete to be the top arts school training the best of the best high school artists,???
From fine art, to theater, to music, to dance, the three prominent Southern Californian arts high schools offer unique areas of studies to their students. California School of the Arts — San Gabriel Valley (CSArts – SGV), a public-charter high school located in Los Angeles County, offers eleven separate arts-based areas of study. Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), CSArts – SGV’s sister school and a public-charter high school located in Orange County, California offers seventeen separate arts-based areas of study. Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), a public high school located in Los Angeles County offers six separate arts-based areas of study.
Not only does each arts high school offer unique areas of studies to their students, but each offers a special, art-driven school culture.
Zakai Haynes, a senior at CSArts, reflects that the “Culture at CSArts is unlike any school [he has ever] been around”. The school culture is deeply “connected by this underlying want to create and be vulnerable with each other.” To Haynes the school culture “is extremely special, unique, and important,” separating CSArts “from other schools.”
Miley Jane Gavarrete, a former CSArts student and current OCSA student, considers the similar “welcoming” nature of the two schools. Gavarrete goes on to explain that although CSArts and OCSA may both have “welcoming” school cultures, they are in fact quite different. According to Gavarrete, “at OCSA, everything is faster-paced and demanding […] the curriculum is more developed […] because it has been around longer [it] puts higher expectations, making students push themselves even harder.” Gavarrete reflects that at CSArts things are “more relaxed and community focused”, it’s “more collaborative rather than very rigorous”.
Julie Usquiano, a former CSArts student and current LACHSA student, echoes a similar idea as Gavarrete. “The culture at [LACHSA] is definitely more art -driven,” with Usquiano believing that, at least within the visual arts programs, LACHSA focuses “more on concept and contemporary arts rather than skill.” Usquiano also brings up that at LACHSA “the culture is more competitive regarding arts,” whereas the culture at CSArts is more competitive regarding academics, “since [CSArts has] more AP and honors” classes.
When asked about the competitive nature of the Southern Californian art schools, Usquiano voiced her opinion that, at least between students at the art schools, “there is not much competition.” Gavarrete echoed a similar idea to Usquiano, with Gavarrete revealing that she believes there is a mixture of “competition and collaboration between the art schools around the area,” with the competition always being “healthy.” According to Gavarrete, each school takes “pride in [the] curriculum that they offer,” but “there is a lot of respect between” the schools.
While on a student level the Southern California art schools may not be competitive, on a wider level, the schools are in constant competition. In 2025, the Southern California art schools ranked, almost, back to back in scores for “Best High School for the Arts in California,” according to Niche.com. Los Angeles County High School for the Arts ranked first place, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley followed in third place, and Orange County School of the Arts came in fifth place. Similarly, the art schools fought for their place in the rankings of “Best High School for the Arts in America.” Los Angeles County High School for the Arts ranked second, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley took fifth place, and Orange County School of the Arts came in 10th place. On an academic level, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley took the top spot and Orange County School of the Arts ranked second place in “Best Charter High Schools in California”.
Although students may not feel the impact of the competition between the Southern Californian art schools administrations, the students feel the impact of the student-led collaborations. Usquiano remarked that no matter the medium, “whether that’s collaborations in [visual arts] galleries, music bands, or theater companies, teen artists in [Southern California], regardless of school, collaborate!”
Tribute to Jane Goodall