WCAAD Student Yi Cai Admitted by 7 Top Colleges with Scholarship Offers Totaling $643,000

Congratulations to Yi Cai as she will attend Pratt as an Illustration major and a scholarship of $108,000.

Additional admitted schools:

Otis College of Art and Design -Scholarship $120,000

Pratt(Munsons)-Scholarship $48,000

SAIC Scholarship-$96,000

SCAD Scholarship-$76,000

SVA-$111,000

Parsons-$84,000

I first met Yi when she was 12. Years later I had the pleasure to work with her in person and much more mature person where I saw her grow and excel and inspire. I always found her to be constantly, motivated, and experimental and dedicated. You never saw her without ideas for projects. She loves to push herself and test her abilities and finds solutions to difficult visual ideas.

Yi’s strengths come from a solid foundation as she worked with me first during the pandemic online when she was 12. Since then, I have seen her grow and have had the pleasure to work with her personally as she also has inspired others through her leadership and large ambitious paintings. I have witnessed classmates seeking advice from Yi as she inspires others.

She takes risk and experiments with materials and subject matter. She can look at things from other people’s perspectives, caring about the people around her as she is collected and calm under stress and is easy-going among peers.

Yi has dedicated her time with our Academy spending hours a week with various art and design classes. 

Her Honors & Achievements include 2025: Rotary Pageant of the Arts – Painting Division (PV Sunset Rotary) — Awarded for excellence in painting. PV Art Show — Artwork featured on the official exhibition cover and five pieces selected for display. Scholastics Art & Writing Awards — Silver Key, Illustration Category. Yearbook Design Project, Rancho Del Mar High School — Designed and illustrated the official school yearbook cover. Fine Art Department Award, Rancho Del Mar High School — Recognized for outstanding achievement and artistic excellence in Fine Arts. Selected Participant, Community Youth Art Exhibition — Presented original illustration and fine art works exploring identity and transformation.

In 2024: Rotary Pageant of the Arts – Painting Division (PV Sunset Rotary) — Recognized for creative composition and technique. Reflections Art Program – Visual Arts — Honorable Mention. 2024 Cacta Art Show Reception — Two artworks exhibited. U.S. Art Education Center Competition — 2nd Place. CCEA Art Competition, Class 10 — 1st and 2nd Place Awards in painting and mixed media. Finally, the Rancho Del Mar High School Art Showcase — Selected to exhibit paintings and illustrations highlighting emotional expression and visual storytelling.

Yi has been able to excel by acquainting herself with people who can help her but in returns offers her assistance to them and the younger students who have developed a connection and respect. Congratulations and we wish her well.

(By Omar Gallegos,WCAAD Vice Principal and Director of Education)