COMMUNITY NEWS\Asian Pacific teens sought for McDonald's scholarship program.

Byline: Virginia Gonzalez Daily News Staff Writer

Asian Pacific youths with leadership skills, community involvement and academic achievement are being sought out for 13 scholarships provided through a McDonald's restaurant youth leadership program.

Sponsored by the McDonald's Operators Association of Southern California, KSCI (Channel 18) and Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics Inc., the fifth annual youth search requires submission of a 250-word essay describing the student's leadership skills and community involvement, along with a letter of recommendation, said event spokeswoman Beverly Durham.

Winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship, a $500 donation to the community organization of their choice, a spotlight vignette on KSCI and a luncheon to be held in May during Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Durham said.

Applicants - who must be 15-18 and reside in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside or San Bernardino counties - can pick up applications at any high school guidance counselor office. Applications are due by April 19 and must be mailed to KSCI, 12401 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90064.

Members of the Van Nuys Rotary Club continue to help San Fernando Valley organizations, recently including a job-training program for developmentally disabled adults and an organization that runs three homes for abused and neglected teen-agers.

Rotarians donated $450 to Tierra Del Sol to help pay vehicle maintenance costs for the organization, which shuttles participants to their place of employment.

Club members also raised $500 to purchase a microwave oven for each of the three group homes run by Human Services Network, an organization that cares for 18 abused and neglected teen-agers.

Steve Miller, the executive director at Tierra Del Sol, said the Rotarians' support "is extremely helpful and so essential to what we're doing."

"Help like this enables us to be successful in our mission to help people with disabilities so that they can contribute to our community," Miller said.

The Rotarian donation will provide six months worth of mechanical repairs to one of Tierra Del Sol's 12 vehicles, which aid in transporting many of the 350 adults served daily by the organization, Miller said.

Tiny Tot Preschool care will be available two days per week through the San Fernando Community Services Department beginning April 3 at Recreation Park.

Toddlers ages 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 can get an educational head start by learning colors, ABCs, shapes and songs; and creating fun arts and crafts, organizers said.

Care is available Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the park, located at 208 Park Ave. in San Fernando. Call the Community Services Department at [phone] to enroll or receive additional information.

Twenty-three youths were recently awarded $1,000 and $500 scholarships through the San Fernando Valley Opportunity Through Education Scholarship Fund.

The scholarships will enable nine recipients to attend junior and state colleges. Fourteen 14 others who are in high school, occupational centers or other education-based organizations will pursue higher education, said Patricia Franco, the organization's executive board chairwoman.

Franco said that $15,000 in scholarships was awarded through donations made by Miller Brewing Co. and other local businesses and organizations.