'TEACHERS' SUBJECT OF ART PROJECT BY BURBANK STUDENT.

Byline: SIMON SCHRAMM Community columnist

Catherina Ticsay, an eighth-grader at St. Finbar School in Burbank, won the California Student Art Contest for her work titled ``Teachers.''

``I chose teachers as the focus of my piece because their enthusiasm and devotion to education shows the importance of going to school and that learning can be fun,'' said Catherina, who used clay, wood, cardboard and foam to create a miniature classroom.

Catherina and her mother were flown to Sacramento by state Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena.. Scott sponsored the contest and introduced them on the Senate floor.

Bob Kahn and J.D. Thornbury will be honored posthumously with the Penland Award for community service by the Agoura/Oak Park/Las Virgenes Chamber of Commerce.

Kahn was active in Oak Park community events and served on the school district's Formation Election Committee. Thornbury of Agoura Hills is remembered as ``a real cowboy'' who performed at fund-raisers benefiting underprivileged children.

``You could call J.D., and he'd come running to haul a horse or fix a tire,'' said Thornbury's son, David.

The awards will be presented at an Oct. 18 gala to benefit The Wellness Community. For information and reservations, call [phone].

``I wish he were here to get it,'' said Eileen Kahn, who will accept the award on her husband's behalf.

Vanalden Elementary School in Reseda received $3,600 from the Tarzana branch of Washington Mutual as part of the organization's School Savings Program.

The branch adopted Vanalden as its school for the program and donated $1 for each new checking account opened in 2002.

Liviu Marinescu and David Whitwell, music professors at California State University, Northridge, will receive cash awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for their contributions to music through original works, compositions and recent performances.

Celina Kirchner,15, of Sherman Oaks was among 72 teens around the world who spent six weeks at the Longacre Leadership program in Newport, Penn.

The children, ages 12-18, lived and worked on a farm designed to train kids to communicate more efficiently and build stronger relationships.

The Music Center is accepting nominations for its 22nd Annual Bravo Awards honoring teachers and schools for outstanding arts education.

Winning teachers will receive $4,000, and $10,000 will go to the winning school.

Nominations for a teacher or school must be in the form of one paragraph and must be faxed to [phone] by Monday.

For more information, call [phone].