Deirdre Newman After 15 years and limited...

Deirdre Newman

After 15 years and limited symbols to work with, you might think

it would be difficult to come up with a fresh, new logo for Newport

Harbor High School’s Harbor Heritage Run.

But like the waves that break onto Newport Beach’s coast, each one

has its own nuances that sets it apart from the previous logos.

This year, sophomore Stephanie Wynn’s vision beat out 35 other

artistic hopefuls for the honor of having her design splashed all

over the event’s publicity material.

“I was really excited and I kind of didn’t believe it,” said

Stephanie, 15.

The Harbor Heritage Run and Fitness Fair is put on by the school’s

PTA and includes a 5K Feature Race, a 2K Fun Run/Walk and kids’

races. The event, which usually nets between $25,000 and $30,000 for

academic programs, is the school’s only fund-raiser.

Virginia Spencer gives the logo assignment to a few of her art

classes every spring. She invites local graphic artist Susan Rinek to

present the assignment as if the students -- freshmen through seniors

-- were her clients.

“It’s important for [the students] to understand the connection

between the real world and real art,” Rinek said. “It’s more than

just art. It’s how to market a commodity visually.”

The artistic task enables the students to use skills they learn in

class like positive and negative shape, space, line and texture,

Spencer said.

The goal is to create a logo that’s easily recognizable and has a

fun feel to it, Spencer added.

Stephanie’s design incorporates traditional Newport Harbor symbols

like the anchor and waves. And the school’s tower figures prominently

in the picture, after being de-emphasized last year.

“I thought Stephanie had a wonderful design and incorporated so

many unique ways of looking at the run itself,” Spencer said. “I

liked the symbols she used and the fact she had some kind of fun,

textural design elements included.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

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