Debutantes earn night at the ball
BARBARA DIAMOND
Six young Laguna Beach women will take a bow Saturday for years of
community service.
Natalia Lucia Brown, Shannon Elizabeth Fuszard, Jennifer Elizabeth
Hart, Katherine Anne Olsen, Alexandra Lela Phelps, Melanie Fae Taylor
and Ashley Lauren West are among the 20 debutantes who will make
their St. James curtsies at the annual National Charity League Laguna
Beach Chapter Ball.
The ball is the culmination of six years in the mother-daughter
volunteer program, which requires members to pledge their time,
resources and energy to community service. The debs have collectively
contributed thousands of hours to organizations such as the Fran
Jostwick Riding Center for challenged children, Del Obispo Retirement
Home, the Orangewood shelter for abused children, Laura’s House
shelter for abused women and their children, Discovery Arts, Ballet
Pacific and First Thursday Art Walk.
“If I had a daughter, I would want us to participate in the
league,” Mayor Cheryl Kinsman said. “It is a way to get young people
involved in community service, and that is what we need in this
country.”
Kinsman and her mother were members of the National Charity League
in Riverside for six years. The chapter’s philanthropy was the
California School for the Deaf.
Kinsman did not deb.
“The night of the ball, I was playing French horn in a
professional orchestra for a performance of “The Song of Norway,”
Kinsman said. “My mother was terrific about my decision. She always
supported me. I was very lucky.”
One of the goals of the National Charity League is to strengthen
the mother-daughter relationship. Working together teaches them to
appreciate each other’s qualities. Mothers are called patronesses.
The girls are called Ticktockers. Awards are presented for hours
donated above the requirements.
During her years as a Ticktocker, Natalia Brown contributed about
192 hours of community service and earned the league’s Yellow Rose
award.
The Marymount frosh attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School.
She was a member of the high school track team, a certificate
candidate of the rigorous International Baccalaureate program and
recipient of the school’s Benedictine Award for kindness and
generosity to others.
Natalia is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sean Brown.
Melanie Taylor also graduated from Santa Margarita, where she
participated in the Associated Student Body, Model United States and
junior varsity track and volleyball. She is a lifetime member of the
California Scholarship Federation and now attends the University of
Washington.
She earned the league’s Yellow Rose and Heart of Gold awards.
Melanie is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Freeman Taylor.
Laguna Beach High School graduate Shannon Fuszard is in her first
year at Chapman College.
In high school, she was a four-year member of the Equestrian Team-
Interscholastic Equestrian League. She was the league’s Frosh Reserve
Champion in 2000 and Junior Varsity Champion in 2001.
Her scholastic honors included Golden State Academic Awards in
geometry and biology, the Dean’s Scholar Award and scholarships from
the equestrian league, the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars’ and the Friends
of the Laguna Beach Library.
Shannon received the league’s Rosebud, Mission Bell, Yellow Rose
and Heart of Gold awards for charity league activities.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fuszard.
Jennifer Hart also graduated from Laguna Beach High School and is
now attending the University of the Pacific.
She played on the outstanding girls’ tennis team at the high
school, JV for two years and varsity for one year. She was named the
most valuable doubles player while in the ninth grade. She won the
Coach’s Award in the 10th grade and captained the varsity team in the
11th grade.
An honor roll student, Jennifer also was active in the
Environmental Club, Community Service Club, People’s Awareness Group
and the Laguna Club for Kids.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Robert Hart.
Laguna Beach High School graduate Katherine Olsen was a cheer
leader for four years. Her honors include two years as Scholar
Athlete, the honor roll, the 2003 Varsity Cheer Most Inspirational
and the 2003 West Coast Open National Cheerleading Champions.
Katherine was a 13-year member of the Girl Scouts, reaching senior
rank. She enjoys jewelry design and now attends Saddleback Community
College.
Her charity league honors include the Yellow Rosebud, the Mission
Bell and six-years of service to Christmas in April.
Katherine is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Young Olsen.
Multitalented Laguna Beach High School graduate Alexandra Phelps
now attends UCLA.
In high school, Phelps participated in the Interact Club for
community service, the Surfrider Club, Saferides, a student
organization that provides drivers for students incapacitated by
alcohol or drugs, and the Christian Club. She was National Honor Roll
secretary in her senior year. Other achievements are the Golden State
Exam Awards and the Principal’s Award. She was named an AP Scholar
and a Governor’s Scholar.
Phelps was also sports editor of the school paper, the Brush and
Palette, a member of the school’s California Interscholastic
Federation champion tennis team and a recipient of the Coach’s Award.
She has worked at the Sawdust Festival for the last two summers.
As a Ticktocker, Alexandra enjoyed being a Sunshine Reader and
vice president of philanthropy.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Martin Phelps Jr.
University of Arizona student Ashley West graduated with high
marks from Laguna Beach High School. She was on the honor roll for
four years and earned the Golden State Exam Award. She also received
the Computer Graphic Award Reaction to 911. She was a peer counselor,
a member of the HIV Advisory Board and Leadership Commissioner of
Special Events and Athletics.
Ashley was Varsity Golf Team captain and the recipient of the Top
Player Award and Coach’s Award.
She earned the charity league’s Yellow Rose and Mother-Daughter
awards.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Morris West.
Vaughn Speare chaired the ball committee.
The Laguna Beach Chapter of the National Charity League one of
only two chapters in Orange County permitted by the national board of
directors to have the full debutante ceremony. To qualify, the
chapter must have a cultural program and a father-daughter event, in
addition to the community service requirement.
* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline
Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box
248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;
call (949) 494-4321 or fax (949) 494-8979.
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