PRESS RELEASE: JUNE 23, 2025

Florida School of the Arts honors graduates

Florida School of the Arts recently bid farewell to graduates now on their way to pursue careers in art galleries, on stage, or behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. Many will continue their education at universities before pursuing their niche in the arts. The College honored students who received their associate degrees in the visual and performing arts.

Graduates include Autumn Airey, Garrett Bleau, Alexis Brockway, Alexis Brown, Natalia Cardona, Kaylee Cravey, Rebecca Edwards, Olivia Gonzalez, Alicia Griffin, Thalia Hart, Shelby Howell, Jasmyne Hughes, Lillian Johnson, Brandall Kearse, Annika Klee, Ian Leduc, Farentino Lennox, Lyle Lopez, Ciara McCarthy, Makari Nealy, E. Noah Perez, Kaylah Perry, Zachary Petron, Javier Pinto, Sara Tierney, Joy Tucker, Caleb Urbistondo and Alyssa Wallace.

Awards were presented to graduates during the ceremony. The Outstanding Graduate for Performing Arts was presented to Zachary Petron (Acting). He will continue his education in theater/acting at Florida State University and plans to pursue film acting.

The Outstanding Graduate for Visual Arts was presented to Jasmyne Hughes (Animation). She will continue her education at FloArts with the new Bachelor of Applied Science in Digital Art and Media.

Olivia Gonzalez (Musical Theater) was presented with the Outstanding Graduate Academic Achievement award. She will continue her education in theater at Florida State University and plans to pursue full time acting or teaching.

During the commencement ceremony, musical theatre graduates gave a vocal presentation of “Raise You Up/Just Be” by Cyndi Lauper.

The exhortation reading of “Fall in Love “by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, was given by FloArts graduate Javier Pinto.

FloArts instructor Kandie Smith delivered the commencement speech. Smith retires this month after teaching musical theater voice at FloArts for 11 years.

Before teaching at FloArts, Smith enjoyed a vibrant career in musical theater and operetta. She has sung leading roles with a variety of local, regional, and international companies, and has sung the soprano solos in a number of oratorios presented by local and regional organizations and orchestras. Smith’s students have won and placed in NATS Student Audition competitions at the local, regional and national levels, and are actively performing in companies around the US.

She earned her D.M.A., at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati and her masters University of British Columbia.

Florida School of the Arts is located on the St. Johns River State College Palatka Campus and serves the entire state of Florida. FloArts is part of the academic and administrative structure of SJR State and awards associate degrees in acting, dance performance, musical theater, stage management, theater technology, graphic design/new media and studio art. For more information, call (386) 312-4300 or visit https://www.sjrstate.edu/floarts.

PHOTOS FROM THE CEREMONY ARE AVAILABLE ON FLICKR

Award photo from left: Instructor Russell Franks and Olivia Gonzalez, Instructors Kevin Kelly, Ryan Mahannah and Zachary Petron, Instructor Justin Murphy and Jasmyne Hughes.

Florida School of the Arts graduates