KEEGAN BRENNEN
Mt. Ararat High School
On graduation day, Keegan Brennen received Mt. Ararat High School's award for the student who demonstrated the most dramatic improvement in academics and attitude.
And his art teachers gave him the Excellence in Visual Arts Award for being the school's outstanding art student.
It was a triumphant climax to years of struggle in the classroom.
As Brennen describes it, he used to "stutter a lot." His schools provided speech therapy. He was also identified as having a learning disability, and received tutoring.
He said it took him years to overcome his speech impediment and learning disability, and praised the therapists and tutors who helped him improve.
School Principal Craig King, in turn, praised Brennen during last Sunday's commencement ceremony, telling students that Brennen "is a talented and dedicated artist who during his high school years has overcome multiple obstacles, any one of which could have discouraged most students."
This fall, Brennen will start school at the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where he plans to pursue a career as an art teacher.
Lennie Mullaney, Brennen's senior year art teacher at Mt. Ararat High school, said Brennen never sought the limelight.
"He's so quiet, he often goes unnoticed," Mullaney said. "Keegan has always been very self reliant, and a self starter."
He's already getting recognition for his artistic talents.
His art work has been displayed at the Portland Museum of Art, and one of his most creative pieces is currently on display at the Topsham Public Library.
Brennen's self portrait, done in colored pencil, is called "Sai Baba," which means "crazy hair" in Indian.
He said he got the nickname while working last year as a dishwasher at an Indian restaurant in Brunswick.
Meanwhile, Brennen hopes one day to become a writer and illustrator.
"I'd like to write books because I feel like I have a story to tell," Brennen said.
Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 386-0320 or at
dhoey@pressherald.com
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