2 Local Students Win Top Spotlight Awards

Two Orange County students took first place in their divisions Thursday evening in the fifth annual Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards competition for performing arts, which honors outstanding high school students from Southern California.

Corinne Chapelle, 16, of Irvine, a violinist attending the Juilliard School in New York, and Amy Kathleen Rodibaugh, 18, of Corona del Mar, an opera singer attending Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, will each take home $5,000 to further their performing careers.

Winning runner-up awards--and $2,500 each--were Rebecca Thompson, 16, of Huntington Beach, a ballet dancer, and Scott Cheek, 17, of Fullerton, who competed in the pop/musical theater vocal category.

All four students were ranked among the contest’s 12 finalists in six categories, the best showing Orange County students have made in the event.

The awards are sponsored by the Music Center of Los Angeles County. Two Orange County students won first place awards in the 1991 Spotlight competition.