High school students show their artful stuff

Luis Pena

The cooking, dancing, music and artwork was enough to make Newport

Beach resident Linda Laurance think she was in the midst of

professionals.

But the 10th annual Evening of the Arts at Newport Harbor High

School Wednesday was a chance for the school’s students to display

their talents.

“I think it’s inspiring to see some of the artwork,” said Linda

Laurance, a Newport Beach resident. “A lot of it looks professional

and I’d like to buy some pieces, but I don’t think anything is for

sale.”

The purpose of the evening was to expose the community to the

school’s culinary, visual and performing arts programs, said Michael

Vossen, principal of Newport Harbor High.

Laurance was awed by the variety of art, dance and food --

everything from Cuban to southern Creole -- on display and said she

enjoyed the creativity in students’ drawings.

“They do great things at this school,” Laurance said.

As Laurance enjoyed the art, the Midshipmen Jazz Band entertained

an audience that gathered around to hear tunes such as “Blue Rondo a

la Turk” and the hit “Jump, Jive An’ Wail,” made famous in recent

years by the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Tangerine Bolen of Laguna Beach said his trip to the event was

well worth it.

“This is my first time here and it’s fantastic,” she said. “I wish

that they had this when I was in high school.”

Everyone had a favorite.

Tiffany Petkus of Irvine thought a group of young dancers were

great because their choreography kept up with the music perfectly.

Students also seemed inspired by their audience.

Johnny Rosales, a senior and member of the school’s award-winning

culinary program, prepared a main course of shrimp and mussels for

the event. “It’s kind of weird because whenever we practice, even in

competitions, it was closed doors, just the judges and us,” he said,

adding it was great to see a small crowd gathered around his cooking.