Yearbook judging redone

Deirdre Newman

NEWPORT BEACH -- Newport Harbor High School senior Amanda Brown was

elated when she found out she had been selected as most artistic female

for the senior yearbook.

For the 18-year-old, who suffers from attention-deficit disorder, it

was a vote of confidence, recognition by her peers and a chance to be

noticed for an art scholarship.

But her joy quickly dissolved when the award was taken away from her

after school officials discovered that a student on the yearbook staff

had tampered with the voting.

The problem started earlier this month on the day the winners of the

Senior Superlatives were announced. While many of the categories

highlight innate characteristics, such as best eyes or best hair, the

most artistic title carries the cachet of actually having talent.

“It’s like something you can put on your resume,” Brown said. “Private

colleges search for that talent. It’s something you can brag about.”

Brown, who has had a penchant for art since she was 2, said she was

extremely proud when she found out she had been chosen.

But so many seniors were shocked by the winners’ names that the uproar

compelled school officials to investigate the voting tally.

And unlike an earlier controversy at the school this year in which the

judging of cheerleader tryouts was eventually deemed fair, the checking

turned up surprising results.

One of the girls on the yearbook staff admitted she had chosen the

winners herself when she took the votes home to count. The girl, whose

name has not been publicly disclosed, sent a letter of apology to Brown

and the other winners and a new vote was taken.

This time the voting was monitored by faculty, and Brown’s name was no

longer synonymous with “most artistic.” While other students were

nonchalant about losing their Superlative status, Brown took the loss to

heart as a personal rejection of her talent.

“Amanda’s a really special kid. She’s had a hard time fitting in. To

be acknowledged for her art was like finally being noticed,” said Corrie

Rausch, Brown’s special education teacher. “It was the wrong kid for it

to happen to. For others, it just rolled off their backs.”

Reeling from the slight, Brown and her mother confronted school

officials and demanded that Brown’s artistic talent be recognized.

Assistant Principal David Peterson offered to rectify the situation by

giving her a special award certificate and plaque and hanging her

drawings up in the school’s main office.

“[Amanda Brown] is a very good artist,” Peterson said. “I had the

chance to look at some of her artwork and wanted to acknowledge her

ability.”

Peterson said he didn’t know how the school would handle the situation

if other students who had won in the first voting, but not the second,

complained.

But to prevent the voting from being manipulated in the future, Janine

Pon, the staff advisor for the yearbook, said students would no longer be

allowed to count the Senior Superlative votes.

For Brown, the chance to have her artwork displayed at the school is

artistic justice.

“It makes me feel really flattered. Hopefully my artwork will inspire

other people,” she said.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .