Hellgate held its second annual Performing Arts Signing Day on May 21, 2026. The event celebrated nine seniors who are continuing in band, choir, or theatre next year. The event is meant to celebrate achievement in performing arts as significantly as college sports are celebrated.
The students that signed were a mix of music and theatre majors and non-majors. The individuals that were celebrated were Dominic Gingerelli, studying Jazz Performance at NYU, Noah Morss, studying Composition at Toneheim Folkehøgskole, Zach Baldwin, studying Music Education at Washington State University, Kyori Davis, studying Musical Theatre at CAP21, Lucia Bergoust, studying Acting at Marymount Manhattan, Olive Kreta, studying Musical Theatre at Stephens College, Kanou Zunker, studying Musical Theatre at University of Montana, and Anna Fortune, studying songwriting at Belmont University.
Bergoust said, “It’s great that we get the opportunity to celebrate achievements in arts like we do in sports now.” She is excited for the chance to pursue performing arts past high school, and is glad she can share that excitement with her peers.
Kreta felt similarly, “It’s so cool to see people come together for this and see where they’ll take performing arts in the future.”
The event was initially started by teacher Laramie Dean. Jesse Dochnahl, and Ellen Mackenzie last year, as they wanted to recognize their students that took performing arts to a higher level. Sports signing days have long been used to recognize similar achievements in athletics, and at a time when arts education and funding is at risk, it’s important to see the real outcomes of the time and effort put in by Hellgate’s performing arts teachers and students.
“Hellgate has always had a great arts culture, and this is just one of so many ways that we’re able to recognize that,” said Kreta. She says she’ll miss the shows and concerts with her Hellgate peers, but that it has given her the confidence and skills to move onto the next level.
Hellgate looms to continue this tradition in the future, giving future performing arts graduates the chance to celebrate each other’s successes and see what each one will do with the opportunities Hellgate’s programs have given them.
