Debutante’s prepare for culmination festivities

BARBARA DIAMOND

The National Charity League members and their daughters pledge their

time, resources and energy to community service.

Somehow, the young women in the Laguna Beach chapter seem to find

time to participate in athletics and school activities and achieve

education honors, as well as volunteering as Ticktockers in the

mother/daughter organization.

The culmination of the six-year program is the Debutante Ball, to

be held this year on Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point.

Six of the debbing Ticktockers graduated from Laguna Beach High

School: Nicole Marie Bienvenu, Hillary Dean Brakovich, Kayleigh

Elizabeth Dawe, Alexandra Atkins Jones-Gartin, Jillian Emily Levin,

Jessica Shimizu Murray and Alicia Ann Rose. Lindsey Lee Smith, an

Emerald Bay resident, was an independent study student in high school

and Lagunan Courtney Madison Wallace graduated from Mater Dei High

School.

Bienvenu now attends Orange Coast College. While in high school,

she competed in cross-country and track. She also was a member of

youth ministry, peer counseling and on the honor roll.

Bienvenu was the recipient of Festival of Arts and Sawdust

Festival scholarships.

As a Ticktocker, she received the Yellow Rose and Mother-Daughter

Award. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David James Swan.

Brakovich served as Associated Student Body Class Representative

in high school. She was on the track and field team and played junior

varsity tennis.

A member of the National Honor Society and the California

Scholarship Federation, Brakovich was recognized for outstanding

achievement in art and academic excellence in algebra, biology and

U.S. history.

She served as Ticktocker treasurer, historian and corresponding

secretary.

Brakovich attends USC. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory

Peter Brakovich.

Dawe was a member the varsity track team, captain of the junior

varsity and varsity soccer teams and played club soccer while at

Laguna Beach High School.

She was an AP Scholar, which requires participation on a varsity

team and a 3.3 or better grade point average, and a Superintendent’s

Scholar/Athlete.

Dawe’s Ticktocker honors include the National Charity League Award

for contributing the most community service hours in her senior year,

the Heart of Gold, Yellow Rose and Mission Bell awards.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Dawe and now attends

UC San Diego.

The league’s Heart of Gold is second only to the Merci Award for

the most hours donated over the required commitment. Next is the

Yellow Rose and in descending order, Mission Bell and Yellow Rosebud

awards.

Not only does the league inculcate young women with the notion of

community service, it also fosters the relationship between daughters

and their mothers, called Patronesses. The Mother-Daughter Award is

presented to Patroness and Ticktocker who work side-by-side for

25-or-more hours of community service.

Jones-Gartin was a four-year member of the cross county team in

high school and served as the boys varsity basketball statistician

for three years.

Now a student at the University of Kentucky, her high school

academic honors included outstanding achievement in geometry and

biology.

Jones-Garfin was the chapter’s grade level president, vice

president, corresponding secretary, Sunshine Girl and historian.

She is the daughter of Allen George Brown and Anne Jones Weiler.

Levin is a student at Boston University.

While a high school student, Levin competed on the varsity and

junior varsity tennis teams and was voted the Most Improved JV Tennis

Award.

Levin was Associated Student Body Treasurer and class

representative. A National Society of High School Scholars member,

Levin received the Foreign Language Achievement Award and the ASB

Scholarship.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Levin.

Murray was on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll for four years in

high school and graduated summa cum laude.

She was active in varsity tennis, the Park Avenue Players and the

Laguna Beach High School Chorus.

Murray received the chapter’s Yellow Rosebud Award for community

service.

She is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Donald Brian Murray. She

attends USC.

Rose, an independent study student at Laguna Beach High School,

attends the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising.

In high school, she twice received the Excellence Award for

Creativity in honors art studio. Other art awards included the grand

prize in the Magic Flute Poster Contest and most creative in the

Movie Poster Contest.

An honors art student, Rose also competed on the cross county,

track and dance teams.

As a Ticktocker, Rose earned the Mother-Daughter award and Yellow

Rosebud.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Evans.

Although an independent study student in high school, Smith was

active in school athletics and performing arts. She was a member of

the Sage Hill varsity tennis and varsity basketball teams in high

school. She also was a member of the Sage Hill girls’ chorus, Concert

Choir and Dance Ensemble. She was the recipient of the Andy Devine

Memorial Award for Performing Arts.

Smith received the Yellow Rose and Mission Bell awards for her

hours of community service as a Ticktocker. She served as grade level

treasurer, philanthropy vice president and council representative.

The Azusa Pacific University student is the daughter of Mr. and

Mrs. Allen Smith.

Wallace is now a student at Marymount College. While at Mater Dei,

she was a member of the junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams

and the frosh-soph soccer team.

She also participated in the Campus Ministries, Renaissance Club,

TCA Volleyball Club Foundation and other sports clubs and teams.

She enjoys painting and art in all forms and placed first in the

School Art Contest.

As a Ticktocker, Wallace was awarded the Yellow Rosebud for

community service.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Stephen Wallace.

The Ball Committee includes Laguna Beach residents Vaughan Speare,

Kiffie Ceithaml and Carol Cebreros.

* 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 49404321 or fax 494-8979.