Recent Awards & Recognition

Students at Milwaukee High School of the Arts (MHSA) earn national and regional recognition in music, literary arts, and more.

Literary Arts

2023 | Jonah Johnson, Finalist – Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate
2023 | Jonah Johnson, National Champion – Forensics

Music

Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards

2025 | Lex V. Crump, Winner – Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist
2025 | Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Outstanding Performance – Latin Group
2024 | Lily Elon Edmond, Outstanding Performance – Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist
2024 | Akira Harris, Winner – Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist
2024 | Dystince Robertson, Outstanding Performance – Vocal Jazz Soloist
2022 and 2023 | Damien Blair, Winner – Jazz Arrangement
2021 | MHSA, Outstanding Performance – Large Vocal Jazz Group
2021 | MHSA, Outstanding Performance – Latin Group
2019 | MHSA, Outstanding Performance – Large Vocal Jazz Group
2017 | Kaprice Maxwell, Outstanding Performance – Vocal Jazz Soloist
2017 | Charisma Carson, Winner – Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist
2015 | MHSA, Outstanding Performance – Large Vocal Jazz Group

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin | Arranged by Damien Blair, Milwaukee High School of the Arts

Listen to Damien’s award-winning arrangement.

YoungArts National Competition

2025 | Lex V. Crump, Winner – Classical Voice
2025 | Amiracle Evans, Winner – Popular Voice
2024 | Akira Harris, Winner – Popular Voice
2023 | Charley Vander Molen, Honorable Mention – Popular Voice
2018 | Princess Vaulx, Merit – Jazz Voice
2017 | Charisma Carson, Merit – Popular Voice

Other Awards

2016 NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) | Kaprice Maxwell, Gold Medalist – Jazz Voice

Visual Art & Design

2025 | Wisconsin State Fair Young People’s Art Exhibit

Delia Bozich, First Place – Senior Painting, Second Place – Printmaking
Shanaya Cannon, First Place – Watercolor
Andre Ceballos-Olea, Second Place – Oil Pastel
Cyrus Hourihan, Second Place – Printmaking
Justin Niemiac, Second Place – Colored Pencil
Jessica Ramirez, Digging Local Award
Donavon Reed, First Place – Watercolor and Marker
Eamon Smith, Second Place – Ink
Reed Sturrock, Second Place – Watercolor
George Willis, First Place – Acrylic