Student Engagement and the Arts

Student Engagement and the Arts includes academic competitions and arts events such as the San Joaquin County Spelling Bee, Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, Science Olympiad, and the San Joaquin County Art Show. The program also includes the San Joaquin County Honors Concerts, which feature choir, band, and orchestra performers in grades 6–12, as well as the San Joaquin County Spelling Bee Championship and the California State Spelling Bee. Additional activities include the Artists-in-Schools program, the Color the Summer Arts Camp, and the Color the Outdoors- STEAM Sleep Away Camp.

• Ages: 8–18 years old

The Student Engagement and the Arts department coordinates countywide opportunities for students to compete, showcase, and participate in academic competitions. The Color the Summer Arts Camp provides art education in an outdoor setting where students can learn, grow, and explore. The San Joaquin County Honors Concerts are held in partnership with the San Joaquin County Music Educators Association (SJCMEA). Events are supported in part by donations from the SJCOE Educational Foundation, which funds plaques and medals and helps pay to send winners of county competitions to state and national tournaments. The department is led by Director Erika Chapman and Project Liaison Dahlia Hood and is part of the San Joaquin County Office of Education, which has a mission to educate, innovate, and inspire in order to build a bright future for San Joaquin County.

Last updated June 21, 2026.