Five UNCSA High School students recognized by the YoungArts national competition

Five high school students at UNCSA have placed in various categories of the 2025 YoungArts National Competition, which honors the nation's most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts. Prizes include monetary awards which range from $250 to $10,000 and mentorship from leading artists in their fields.

Applicants who are recognized with distinction will have the opportunity to participate in National YoungArts week and be considered for nominations to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. This year winners were chosen from nearly 11,000 applicants across 10 disciplines including classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing. 

“We are incredibly proud of our high school students for earning recognition through the prestigious YoungArts Awards,” said Martin Ferrell, dean of the High School Academic Program. “This achievement reflects their extraordinary talent, dedication to their craft and the supportive and rigorous training environment cultivated here at UNCSA. These students represent the bright future of the arts and we are excited to see them continue to grow and inspire others through their work.”

Will Bundon, a high school senior from Charlotte, won with distinction in the theater category. He studies in the High School Drama Program. Bundon is represented by Paradigm Talent Agency and JTA Talent and played the role of Little Jodie in the 2022 feature film “Where The Crawdads Sing.”

Jahia Joof, a high school senior from Jamestown, won with distinction in the theater category. She studies in the High School Drama Program and also participates in environmentalism, activism and astrology.

Chaeeun Yoo, a high school senior from Concord, won with distinction in the photography category. She studies in the High School Visual Arts Program of the School of Design and Production under Kaitlin Botts, Teresa Cervantes and Assistant Dean and Director of Visual Arts Will Taylor.

Harry Ferguson, a high school senior from Swannanoa, won in the theater category. They study in the High School Drama Program and participate in photography.

Nik Epstein, a high school junior from Aberdeen, won in the voice category. He studies in the High School Voice Program under Marilyn Taylor.

About YoungArts

YoungArts' signature program is an application-based competition for emerging artists ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12. Selected through a rigorous adjudication process conducted by an independent panel of highly accomplished artists, YoungArts winners receive financial awards and creative and professional development experiences working with renowned guest artists. Joining a distinguished alumni community, YoungArts award winners form a rich network of peers that provides support and opportunities throughout artists' careers.

YoungArts alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields include choreographers Camille A. Brown, a UNCSA Dance alumna, and Desmond Richardson, speaker at the UNCSA 2019 high school commencement; actresses Viola Davis, Anna Gunn, Zuzanna Szadkowski and Kerry Washington; Broadway stars Raúl Esparza, Billy Porter, Andrew Rannells and Tony Yazbeck; recording artists Josh Groban, Judith Hill and Chris Young; Metropolitan Opera star Eric Owens; musicians Terence Blanchard, Gerald Clayton and Jennifer Koh; visual artists Daniel Arsham and Hernan Bas; internationally acclaimed multimedia artist Doug Aitken; television writer, producer, and director Jenji Kohan; New York Times best-selling author Sam Lipsyte; and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Doug Blush.

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