OCSA in the Multiverse

Lacole Yang

We are CSArts. The motto of California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley is written across the front page of its website in a font and placement identical to that of OCSA’s website. Both schools are managed by the California School of the Arts Foundation, which aims to spread arts education by establishing a network of charter schools. So far, only two have been founded. The CSArts Foundation is managed by a Board of Governors. Matthew Morrison leads its advisory Board of Counselors.

Founded 30 years after OCSA in 2017, CSArts has a similar vision and structure. Looking through its promotional videos and the student leadership’s social media, it appears to be a version of OCSA from another dimension, uncanny in its twin-like imitation. They have the same logo and school events, and there are even counterparts to all OCSA publications. Instead of Dreamscape, they have Stargazer; instead of Art Attack, there is CSArts Media; in place of Evolution, CSArtisan prints their news. Despite these commonalities, the schools can easily be differentiated by a few aspects.

For one, CSArts has a much smaller student population and campus, with some dance classes taking place in portable classrooms. It doesn’t offer as many conservatories, lacking Ballet Folklorico, Ballroom, Design and Media, Film and Television, Arts and Enterprise and Culinary. Instead of Classical Voice, they have a general singing program called Vocal Arts. However, CSArts is currently looking to expand by including sixth grade students. Starting in the fall, more students will be able to join its middle school program. Middle school students take only their art classes at CSArts, going to Duarte Unified School District for academics. CSArts also has a longer school day with shorter conservatory blocks, ending at 5 PM.

For another oddly familiar arts high school, look at OCSA: Osceola County School for the Arts. Students and faculty there seem to spell out each letter instead of reading the acronym as one word. Its motto is “where passion meets purpose,” and the passions offered are Band, Orchestra, Vocal Performance, Drama, Technical Theatre and Creative Writing. They also have no sports teams and an alternating block schedule, but the similarities end there. Instead of blue and gold days, it uses teal and purple, purple being its school color. The conservatory classes aren’t a separate part of the day and are instead integrated into the three-block day. Here in Orange County, it’s often said that there is no dress code, but Osceola County’s dress code is 3.5 pages long, including both school and district requirements.

Osceola County School’s most distinct tradition has no OCSA equivalent. At the end of the year, each grade wears a shirt in an assigned color to participate in the beloved Color Wars. As a class, they create a theme, such as “Mardi Gras” and “murder mystery,” and plan a cross-conservatory competition based on it. After decorating their section of the school in their color as much as possible, one grade for middle school and one grade for high school is selected as the winner.

OCSA’s mission states that “We provide an unparalleled arts and academic education.” Perhaps no school can replicate our experience, but there certainly are parallels.