COMMUNITY NEWS THREE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS RETURN FROM TRIP TO SRI LANKA.

Three students from Delphi Academy in Lake View Terrace spent last month in Sri Lanka, broadening their horizons and helping tsunami victims.

Teddy Zou, the team leader from Montrose, led fellow academy senior Nikki Dale of Lake View Terrace and academy sophomore Sarah Malm of Glendale on the monthlong trip.

The team - which was assisted by academy alumnus Scott Curry, who previously had volunteered in the country - joined other volunteers to distribute schoolbooks, clothing and other items at refugee camps in cities including Galle and Matara.

The team returned earlier this month and Zou and Dale presented a slide show of the trip to fellow classmates.

``The people of Sri Lanka really appreciate all that we are doing for them,'' said Zou. ``Particularly those who are volunteers and are traveling to their island just to help out.''

By working in advance, both Zou and Dale were able to graduate with their class this year, as well as earn academy honors. Upon graduation, Dale plans to work in his father's business. Zou plans to study biochemistry at Occidental College in the fall. Malm will continue at Delphi as a junior next year.

``Being able to step back from American luxuries, things we take for granted, I now really appreciate all the things I have in life and in America,'' Zou said.

Siobahn Littlejohn of Roosevelt High School and Tobi Ogbechie of Reseda High School have received $2,000 college scholarships from the grass-roots organization Soul 2 Seoul for their efforts in building unity among diverse cultures and their respective schools. Littlejohn plans to study forensic medicine at Brown University this fall; Ogbechie plans to study biology at Harvard.

Burbank's Benjamin Ho Fineman and North Hollywood's Anne Kathleen Sweeney were among nearly 300 recent graduates of Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Fineman graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics; Sweeney graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology. At Amherst College in Massachusetts, Kristin Boyd of Northridge was among 409 graduates, receiving a bachelor of arts degree.

Moorpark College Foundation awarded $115,000 in scholarships to 109 area students through funding from a variety of sources: private and public, local and national, individuals and organizations. New donors to the program included Telesis Community Credit Union, National Association of Women in Construction, Sage Publications and California Oaks State Bank Scholarship.

This year, recipients of the Dean's Scholarship were Eric Beck and Robert Johnston.

Cadet Brian Jacob Hart, son of Michael Hart of Granada Hills, received an eighth-grade certificate at the independent college preparatory school Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas.

Rachel Hahn, a senior at Los Angeles Lutheran Junior/Senior High school in Sylmar and a member of the Los Angeles Lutheran National Honor Society, has been awarded a National Honor Society scholarship sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

About 200 national winners were chosen from among more than 8,000 applications. Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship and were chosen for their leadership skills, community service, academic achievements and employment experience.

Among other things, Hahn has been a member of the volleyball team, basketball team, track team, and National Honor Society and was class secretary. She has been on the honor roll for four years and is valedictorian of the class of 2005.

``We are proud to recognize Hahn, who has demonstrated not only academic excellence, but also excellence in service, leadership, character, and citizenship,'' said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the principals' association.

Two Valley foster youth are among recipients of 25 college scholarships worth a combined $375,000 awarded this year by United Friends of the Children. Receiving scholarships: Helen Nguyen of Northridge, a Monroe High School student with a 4.33 grade-point average who plans to attend UCLA this fall, and Gerson Sanchez, a Grant High School student with a 3.7 grade-point average who plans to attend University of California, Santa Barbara, this fall.