August 28, 2026
While members may see the finished artwork and fun events, there is a group of students working behind the scenes to make it all happen. This year, the Art Club’s leadership team consists of two presidents, three social media managers, and a secretary-treasurer, each with their own role in helping the club succeed.
From creative ideas to event planning and social media, The Hitching Post interviewed the very officers that bring Costa Mesa High School’s Art Club together.
PRESIDENT HAZEL SESENA
Hitching Post: How do you and the other president divide responsibilities?
Hazel Sesena: Maggie Montgomoery and I are a great team, she does a large amount of planning and coordinating on her part and what I do is execute her plans, so if you ask me, I have the better job! Together we really try to play to our strengths. She is an amazing organizer, likes to get things done efficiently, and I love to participate as well as handle events. So our responsibilities are naturally divided. It’s basically an unspoken rule!
Hitching Post: What do you want the Art Club to be known for?
Hazel Sesena: Our long-term goal is for the Art club to be known as somewhere artist’s creativity have the chance to come to life. A club where we take the ideas, imagination, inspiration and deliver a finished piece. Catering to everyone’s visions and hopes for the project. So overall, I want Artclub to be a club where you can paint your heart out!
Hitching Post: Who or what inspires your Artwork?
Hazel Sesena: A big part of what inspires my art is myself. I take inspiration from my experiences and how they make me feel. I love to look at life from different perspectives and incorporate how I interpret different experiences into my art.
Hitching Post: What is a piece of artwork that you are especially proud of, and why?
Title: “DONT BE DUMB”
Hazel Sesena: I am especially proud of this piece that I took inspiration from A$AP Rocky’s X Tim Burton, “Don’t Be Dumb” album. The album inspired me to explore different techniques and styles of art, while also incorporating my original art work style as well. I am proud of this piece because to me it’s a symbol of me stepping out of my comfort zone.
VICE PRESIDENT MAGGIE MONTGOMERY
Hitching Post: What’s the biggest challenge of running a club?
Maggie Montgomery: As there are multiple constantly changing parts of running a club, I would say that the most challenging element of an art club is informing each person of what they need to get done and where they need to be on different dates. Communication is simple in small groups but even six officers and an advisor makes it extremely difficult.
Hitching Post: What are some ideas that you have for Art Club this year?
Maggie Montgomery: This year I want to focus on activities during school hours, instead of just during activities like studio night. I know that many of us prefer doing club activities during lunch and during school in general, and because of that I want to be sure to allow people to have the opportunities to be able to participate in such activities. We also want to be sure to spend lots of time on mural projects this year because they make a lasting positive and creative impact on our school.
Hitching Post: How would you describe your artistic style in three words?
Maggie Montgomery: (Based off of) nature, realism, (and occasionally) abstractism.
Hitching Post: What is a piece of artwork that you are especially proud of, and why?
Title: “Passiflora Edulis F. Flavicarpa”
Maggie Montgomery: I have always thought that Passionfruit flowers are really fascinating, and after a VERY long time I finally was able to capture most of the details from a photo I took. I love the shades of green, and the small designs, textures and patterns were fun to add another layer of depth.
SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGNER ADA BLANCAS
Hitching Post: What is your role as the social media designer of Art club?
Ada Blancas: My role as the Designer is to create the Instagram posts, the monthly art meeting slides, and help with designs for upcoming events and projects. I also help make sure that everything looks good and matches the art club’s style. I like being able to be creative with the designs while also helping the club get information out to everyone.
Hitching Post: What’s your favorite type of post to make?
Ada Blancas: My favorite type of design to make personally is drawing and fashion, but for the club, I like making posters or Instagram posts the most. I like making those because I can be creative with how everything is put together and try different ideas to make the posts more interesting and eye-catching.
Hitching Post: What is your favorite type of art?
Ada Blancas: My favorite type of art is art that involves magazines, photography, and acrylic. I like having a big mix of everything because I enjoy taking photos and finding cool photos in magazines and collecting them. I like to be able to combine different things together and see how they look as an entire piece.
Hitching Post: What is a piece of artwork you are especially proud of and why?
Title: “Escaping My Soul”
Ads Blancas: The art piece I’m most proud of is a smaller piece, but I’m still really proud of it because it was my first time painting a facial portrait. As well as I did more of an abstract background, which was something different and new for me. I enjoyed being able to try something new and experiment with the way I painted the face and the background, and I think it helped me get more comfortable with painting people. As well as improving my experiences and skills.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER JAYLEEN LEYVA
Hitching Post: What is your role as social media manager?
Jayleen Leyva: As the social media manager, my main focus is to highlight the creativity and fun that comes out of Art Club in hopes that other students feel encouraged to join. I want our social media to show what we actually do in the club and give people an idea of the different activities, projects, and events we have. I also want the posts to be something that catches people’s attention and makes them interested in being part of the club.
Hitching Post: Why did you choose to become the social media manager for Art Club?
Jayleen Leyva: I chose to become a social media manager because it combines two things that I really enjoy, art and social media. I love designing and scrolling throughout social media, so I thought it would be a nice role that I could actually enjoy doing. I also like being able to come up with different creative ideas and turn them into something that other people can see and enjoy.
Hitching Post: What is your favorite art medium?
Jayleen Leyva: Ever since I was little, I was always obsessed with taking photos. I’ve always enjoyed capturing different moments and finding things that I think look interesting, so because of that, I would say photography is my favorite medium. I like that photography allows you to capture something exactly how you see it and look at everyday things from a different perspective.
Hitching Post: What is a piece of artwork that you are especially proud of, and why?
Title: : “Nightly Covers”
Jayleen Leyva: Even though I wish I could show the hitching post my favorite artwork, I’m very proud of this one. I’m especially proud of it because it challenged me to think beyond what I normally would and learn new skills on an app that I’ve used for years. It was interesting to approach the artwork in a different way and figure out how to use the tools I already had in a new way. I feel like I learned a lot from making it, which is why it stands out to me.
SOCIAL MEDIA LEADER STASIA OUYANG
Hitching Post: What is your role as a social media leader?
Stasia Ouyang: My role is mainly planning activities and helping lead events for the Art Club. I help plan things like Studio Night and make sure we have everything we need for the activities. I also keep track of the materials we have and communicate with the Secretary/Treasurer about what we need to buy or prepare. During events, I help make sure everything is organized and that everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing.
Hitching Post: What made you interested in helping plan Art Club events?
Stasia Ouyang: I wanted to help plan events because I like being involved and coming up with activities that everyone can enjoy. I think Art Club is more than just making art, and having events like Studio Night gives everyone a chance to actually spend time together and be creative. I also like seeing an idea that we planned turn into an actual event and getting to see everyone have fun with it.
Hitching Post: What made you interested in art?
Stasia Ouyang: I think what originally interested me in art was being able to express myself without always having to use words. There are so many different ways to make art, and I like that you can experiment and make something completely your own. I also like seeing other people’s artwork because everyone has their own style and way of expressing their ideas.
Hitching Post: What is a piece of artwork that you are especially proud of, and why?
Stasia Ouyang: I don’t really have a favorite artwork that I’m especially proud of. I’ve made a lot of different pieces over the years, and I like each one for different reasons. I think I’m more proud of the progress I’ve made as an artist and being able to look back and see how much I’ve improved rather than choosing just one specific piece.
ART CLUB ADVISOR KELI MARCHBANK
Hitching Post: What do you enjoy most about being an Artclub advisor?
Keli Marchbank: What I enjoy most about being an advisor is giving students more opportunities to expose themselves to the arts. Whether they’re creating their own artwork during Studio Night, participating in face painting, working with elementary school students, or attending city events, I love seeing them interact with the community through art.
This summer, the students had the opportunity to be part of something really big with the OC Fair Demolition Derby RV, which helped support CHOC Children’s and allowed them to engage directly with our Chief of Police and the City of Costa Mesa. It was such a cool experience for them. As an advisor, I love being able to facilitate opportunities like these and help students connect with their community and with each other.
Art Club also gives students a place to feel safe, involved, and connected within the school. We’ll have more opportunities this year to reach out to the community, including creating holiday cards for the senior center. Being able to give students those experiences and help them build connections is definitely my favorite part of being an advisor.
Hitching Post: What do you think makes Art Club special?
Keli Marchbank: I think each member brings a completely different aspect of why our club is so special. We have strong leaders, innovative creators, and students who are incredibly dedicated and always willing to participate. Everyone brings something different to the club, and it’s amazing to see how much they grow and enjoy being part of it.
What connects everyone is art. Art is the vehicle that allows us to connect with the school, the community, and each other. I think that’s what makes Art Club so valuable and special. Art brings these students together, gives them a place to express themselves, and allows them to really bloom and grow. There’s just so much that comes from having that shared connection through art. Truly, that is what I believe is what makes Artclub so special.
Hitching Post: What do you think each officer brings to the club?
Keli Marchbank: I think each officer brings a different personality and strength to the club. We have people who are natural speakers and leaders who can direct, organize, and confidently speak in front of the rest of the members. We also have people who prefer to work behind the scenes, making sure things get done, putting groups together, creating lists, and keeping everything organized.
We have members who are always willing to volunteer for different events, whether it’s face painting, the RV painting, or coordinating with me. Others are great with numbers and make sure things are collected, organized, and ordered. Everyone has a special role in our club, and no one person is more important than another because we all have to work together.
This year has been especially meaningful because many of our seniors have been involved since the club first started when they were in middle school. It’s been so much fun to watch them grow from seventh graders into seniors and see how much the club has evolved along with them.
As an advisor, I sometimes have to step in and guide them when something needs to be done differently, but for the most part, I get to sit back and watch them lead. Everyone steps up, participates, and helps with everything from setting up to cleaning up. They’re friendly, mature, respectful, and responsible leaders, and I’m incredibly proud of them. Watching these students grow into the leaders they are today has been one of the most rewarding parts of being their advisor.
Hitching Post: What does art mean to you personally?
Keli Marchbank: Art means a lot of things to me personally. Art saved my life when I was a teenager. There were times when words couldn’t express what was going on in my head or the emotions I was feeling, and I needed another way to express them. The privacy of my sketchbook and the art I created, whether it was for myself or to share with the world, became very important to me.
I think art is a conduit through which people can communicate their feelings and connect with one another as human beings. I believe it is a vital part of our world and can be a healing force for good. Art can also be a great equalizer because everyone has the ability to create, regardless of their background, experiences, or individual challenges.
You can put two pieces of artwork next to each other without knowing what someone has been through or what challenges they may face. In that space, everyone is on an equal playing field. People can shine in their own way and at their own level while connecting with themselves and the world around them. I think art opens doors to equality, love, healing, and connection.
Hitching Post: What is the most rewarding part of working with young artists?
Keli Marchbank: The most rewarding part of working with young artists is getting to watch them grow. I’ve been teaching here for 24 years, and when I first started teaching art, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if I would be good enough or even if I would enjoy working with young people. Once I opened that door, though, I never looked back. The reward has been incredible.
Young artists continue to impress me with their ability to express themselves, create new ideas, and develop their own artistic styles. I especially love watching them build on their skills over time. This year is the first time I’ve had students who are now seniors that I originally taught when they were in seventh grade. I’ve had the privilege of watching their entire artistic journey, from young middle school students to graduating seniors.
Seeing their artwork from seventh grade compared to what they create now shows just how much they have grown, not only as artists, but as people. I get to see their emotional, mental, and creative growth, and that is something I consider a privilege and an honor. Watching those students have their senior art show after knowing them since seventh grade is an incredibly humbling experience. Being able to witness that entire evolution is one of the greatest rewards of working with young artists.
Although Art Club involves a lot of planning, communication, and responsibility behind the scenes, the officers and advisor all share the same goal: creating a space where students can express themselves and enjoy art. From organizing events to managing materials and sharing the club’s activities, every role contributes to making the club what it is. In the end, Art Club is more than just creating artwork, it’s about bringing students together through creativity.
