Klamath Union High School’s Digital Media Awards Night celebrated much more than student achievement Thursday evening. Inside the KU Theater, the program highlighted a growing culture of creativity, leadership, storytelling, and community connection that continues to expand far beyond the classroom walls.
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Over the course of the evening, students were recognized for excellence in photography, filmmaking, graphic design, broadcasting, yearbook, journalism, print production, DJ services, and leadership. Community partners, educators, business leaders, and families gathered alongside students as the program reflected on another year of national recognition, professional-level projects, and opportunities that have taken KU students from Klamath Falls to competitions and productions across the country and soon, Europe.
“This program is not simply about teaching skills,” KU Digital Media instructor Kelly Armijo said. “It’s about creating a culture of belonging. We want students to feel capable, seen, and encouraged to pursue high standards for themselves both inside and outside the classroom.”
Armijo said the program continues to focus on helping students build confidence, professionalism, and leadership through real-world experiences and partnerships.
“When students learn to communicate with confidence and authenticity, they become more than competitive in their future careers and endeavors,” Armijo said. “They become leaders, and they raise the bar for others who follow behind them.”
Throughout the evening, multiple student-created films and documentaries were showcased, including projects centered around agriculture, environmental stewardship, Native American veterans, biodiversity research, and community storytelling.
One of the featured projects, “The Freedom to BEE,” explored regenerative farming practices in the Klamath Basin and how bees are helping local farmers track biodiversity and soil health. KU students Kenzi Freid, Marianna Armijo, and Bella Armijo worked alongside local farmer Carl Casteel and community partners to produce the film.
“I was incredibly impressed by the professionalism of the students and all the knowledge they had and how they applied it,” Casteel said. “This video blows me away because they took America’s 250th birthday and applied that to what we’re doing locally. That is just really remarkable.”
Freidi said the experience connected directly with coursework they were studying in class while also giving them an opportunity to use film as a tool for storytelling and environmental awareness.
“It was such a cool opportunity,” Freid said. “I had no idea about farming or any of that before. It was really interesting to see all the science behind it and get to film it.”
Bella Armijo, who filmed portions of another featured documentary titled “The Land Remembers,” said the experience helped shape her future goals.
“I’m really passionate about the environment and film and how film can make a change,” Bella Armijo said. “This perfectly aligned with what I want to do.”
During the ceremony, Digital Media Director Dan Stearns surprised Armijo with a $1,000 scholarship to support her pursuit of film studies and environmental sciences at Montana State University.
The night also highlighted KU students’ growing national presence in filmmaking and broadcasting competitions. KU Senior Ainsley Garrett received recognition for earning an honorable mention in C-SPAN’s national StudentCam documentary competition for her film centered around Native American military service and the warrior spirit within the Klamath Tribes.
Chris Madden, Director of State Government Affairs for Spectrum, traveled from Portland to personally recognize Garrett during the ceremony.
“This year’s competition was exceptionally fierce and competitive,” Madden said. “Which makes it even more remarkable that we have a national award winner here tonight at Klamath Union High School.”
Garrett also recently earned second place nationally in the Latest Generation Film Contest and will travel to Chicago later this year to attend the organization’s red carpet awards event.
“It was really an honor for me to be able to narrate and help tell this story,” Garrett said. “I’m very proud of my family’s military history, and this project meant a lot to me.”
The evening repeatedly emphasized the importance of community partnerships that help provide opportunities for KU students. Representatives from Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath Community College, Discover Klamath, the Downtown Association, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations were recognized throughout the night for supporting the program’s growth.
Stearns also highlighted how grants and partnerships continue to expand opportunities for students, including a recently awarded Ford Foundation grant totaling $40,000 annually.
“This program keeps growing because of community support,” Stearns said. “These students are doing real work, real storytelling, and producing professional-level projects.”
Dozens of students received awards and pins recognizing their work across various media disciplines, while seniors were honored for helping establish the culture and expectations of the KU Digital Media program.
“You collectively have set the tone for what this program is becoming,” Armijo told the graduating seniors. “You’ve created a culture that is encouraging, inspiring, and impressive for younger students coming into the program.”
Stearns reflected how the current senior class has helped shape the direction of the program over the past several years, including educational travel experiences to Hawaii, the Caribbean, Alaska, and the upcoming Europe trip.
“What an amazing senior class,” Stearns said. “You’ve helped transition this program into something really special.”
The evening concluded with Stearns and Armijo thanking students, families, staff, and community supporters for continuing to help KU Digital Media grow into what they described as an “extraordinary program.”
“We have really amazing plans moving forward,” Stearns said. “Europe is just the beginning.”
KU Digital Media Awards Night Certificate Recipients
Among the evening’s Rising Star Award recipients were:
Alina Lowe
Annabel Whitford
Audrina Cedillo
Avery Jensen
Camila Garcia
Josh Pope
Kevin Townsend
Malayah Abril
Mayci Hatcher
Seven Harris
Thea Baumann
Tule Saluskin
Rosemary Uhl
The KU student video crew behind productions showcased during the night included:
Derrek Wells
Diego Apalategui
Hudson Mancebo
Jacob Heitzke
Justin Huang
Khloe Haddox
Maddysen Tippets
Madison Georgia
Maya Gomez
Olivia Cruz
Shivelle Todd
William Webb
Wyatt Skelton
Taytum Harmon received the evening’s Best Actress Award for work connected to the program’s production of “Young Frankenstein and Bride.”
Photography All-Star recognitions were awarded to:
Allie Nelson
Demi Guthrie
Finley Chase
Kenzi Freid
Mazie McCoy
Talan Chancellor
Zoe Bitzer
Several community organizations and partners were also recognized for helping support KU Digital Media projects and student opportunities, including:
Smith Bates
KBBH
Sky Lakes Medical Center
Downtown Association
Klamath Community College
Denham Music
Discover Klamath
Graphic Arts Award recipients included:
Adeline Bates — Creative Spark Award
Ashlyn Sharp — Creative Excellence Award
Audrina Cedillo — Best Photography + Design Combo
Bentley Harmon — Future Agency Owner
Chloe Sharp — Layout Legend
Jackson Thompson — Typography Titan
Josue Rios Quintero — Every Pixel Matters Award
Khloe Ford — Master of Aesthetics
Lexxi Sacco — Best Designer Under Pressure
Marianna Armijo — “Always Cooking” Award
Mason — Vector Wizard
Shivelle Todd — Most Improved Designer
Tanner Reitt — Anchor Point Assassin
Thea Baumann — Trendsetter Award
Trenton Johnson — Intricate Illustrator Award
The program also recognized students involved in KU’s growing print shop operation, which provides shirts, banners, stickers, and other projects for community organizations and businesses throughout the basin.
Print Shop Master Award recipients included:
Adilyn Seghetti
Alexandra Gonzalez
Audrina Cedillo
Bentley Harmon
Itzel Flores-Pena
Jake Neupert
Malayah Abril
Mariana Armijo
Yamaira Morelos Pena
Zahira Rico
Students involved in Pels Press, KU’s student-led magazine, were also recognized:
Adalie Giampietri
Ben Graham
Elsie Baumann
Yearbook students honored during the night included:
Alexandra Gonzalez
Evelyn DeDios
Itzel Flores Pena
Kylee Carlson
Madison Georgia
Robert Davis
Yamaira Pena
Stearns singled out Elijah Tequianes Reyes for special recognition, praising his leadership and commitment to the yearbook program.
“I’ve never had a person like you,” Stearns told Tequianes Reyes during the ceremony. “You just take care of everything.”
Broadcasting awards were presented to:
Elias Soriano
Zahira Rico
Stearns described Soriano as “the man who runs the whole thing” when discussing KU’s live broadcasting system and sports productions.
The KU DJ Team, whose student-run business helped raise thousands of dollars for program opportunities and travel experiences, also received recognition. Team members included:
Alice Fenner
Connor Schwetner
Hallie Kautzman
Hope Hartley
Jean Heverly
Kendall Kratochvil
Khloe Haddox
Stearns noted the DJ program generated approximately $15,000 over the past year while providing students hands-on professional experience.
Several students and staff members also received “Thumbs Up Awards” and leadership recognitions throughout the evening, including:
Perry Dean
Leah Anderson
Carrie Northridge
Christy Smith
Sandy Yazzi
Kyle Baird
Heather Shaffer
Michael West
Evan Pine
Adam Randall
Karl Wenner
Ainsley Garrett
Joe Mike
Felicia McNair
Jim McCabe
Bella Armijo
Superstar Senior Award recipients included:
Ainsley Garrett
Alice Fenner
Analeze Flores-McDonald
Ariah Miller
Bella Armijo
Ben Graham
Caitlyn Fettinger
Carter Dahm
Demi Guthrie
Evelyn DeDios
Jake Neupert
Kiera Lonner
Kinna Freid
Kylee Carlson
Leona Higgins
Madi Smith
MJ Myron
Shania Barton
Talan Chancellor
Special leadership recognitions were also awarded to:
Ben Graham — 2026 President Award
Khloe Haddox — 2027 President Award
Bentley Harmon — 2028 President Award
