Stella Academy Schools' Winter Festival 2025: Proof of What's Possible When We Dream Together

Written By: Community Schools Manager, Marina Sandoval

The 2025 Stella Academy Schools' Winter Festival was more than an event—it was a feeling, a moment, and a powerful reminder of who we are as a community. With approximately 450 guests in attendance on the Stella Middle campus—including families from across our Stella cluster and the surrounding community—our campus was filled with joy, laughter, and connection.

A huge, heartfelt thank you to the Winter Festival Committee and to everyone who stepped in, especially in those last-minute moments. From ideas and creation, to coordination, operations, setup, and breakdown—every role mattered. The success of this festival, and the smiles that filled our campus, belong to all of us.

Students Rising to High Expectations: One of the most powerful throughlines of the day was how students showed up—on stage and behind the scenes—when trusted with responsibility and held to high expectations. When we hold high expectations for students and truly believe in their capabilities, they rise to meet—and exceed—them.

• Under Ms. Lee’s guidance, students didn’t just perform with the orchestra—they delivered their ensemble with confidence, elegance, and pride, marking one of the strongest performances we’ve witnessed to date.
• Led by Gonzalez and Sloane, our WebCrew student leaders modeled leadership, maturity, and service. They arrived early, stayed through breakdown, and never stopped asking, “What’s next?” to ensure everything was ready to welcome our school community.

Joy in Every Corner: The craft area was the busiest it’s ever been, a testament to the thoughtful, intentional planning by Ms. Walters and Ms. Sierra, who created spaces that invited creativity, connection, and joy for families throughout the day.

Moments That Will Last Thanks to Woodcraft Rangers, families were able to capture memories at three creatively handmade photo booths, and their student dancers absolutely nailed their festive dance number, bringing energy, rhythm, and celebration to the stage.

A Very Special Thank You: And of course, a huge thank you to Santa, who committed to the role for two years in a row, bringing magic, patience, and smiles to countless families—rain, shine, and all.

Community Partnership in Action: We are deeply grateful to New Hope Shelter, who once again came through in a big way with 47 bikes and 12 totes filled with essential household items; Superior, for donating 10 $25 grocery gift cards to support families; and Pegasus, our petting zoo partners, who generously donated a portion of the invoice to bring the petting zoo experience to our kids—adding a touch of wonder and joy that will be remembered for years.

This marks our third consecutive Winter Festival, all rooted in a “little dream” that began with our lead counselor Joseph Gonzalez and grew through collective belief, collaboration, and heart. This was Community Schools in full display.

~ Marina Sandoval, Stella Middle Charter Academy's Community Schools Manager

We hope this festival sparks joy, hope, and inspiration—and reminds us not to waver in our conviction that when we dream together and believe deeply in our students and community, things beyond our imagination are possible.

We invite you to view our Stella Academy Schools' compilation video showcasing the magic and wonder of the event! Marina Sandoval is the Community Schools Manager for Stella Middle Charter Academy and a dedicated team member of our Gryffon community.