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.