COMMUNITY NEWS THREE WIN NATIONAL PRIZES IN POLITICAL CARTOON CONTEST.

Three eighth-graders at Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies in Tarzana won first and third places for their entries in the National News Currents Editorial Cartoon Contest.

Kyle Schulman and Tait Wallace took first with their cartoon criticizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency's slow response to Hurricane Katrina. Jonathan So took aim at Vice President Dick Cheney in his third-place entry.

The three are students in Donald M. La Franiere's social studies class.

Six Van Nuys High School freshmen won LAUSD's first-ever game-making competition for a board game called ``Guess,'' inspired by the popular game ``Clue,'' but meant to teach players the concepts of chemistry's Periodic Table.

Michelle Cabrena, Gabriella Feliz, Alejandro Guiterrez, Laura Orszulak, Fariba Toha and Vanessa Zarazoga were recognized at a student assembly, and their chemistry teacher, Dawn Brown, will take them to Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park to celebrate.

The UCLA Center on Aging raised nearly $360,000 at its annual ICON award dinner in Beverly Hills, which honored actor/director Carl Reiner and Dr. Michael Phelps, of Encino, who chairs the university's Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology.

Three physics professors from California State University, Northridge, will share a $2 million grant to encourage undergraduates to work alongside professors in researching nanotechnology, the science of building electronic circuits from single molecules and atoms.

Professors Nicholas Kioussis, Gang Lu and Donna Sheng shared the grant with Princeton University Professor Emily Carter.

Three Canoga Park High School seniors earned a ``Good Neighbor Scholarship'' in a contest sponsored by the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center. Westfield executives and Councilman Dennis Zine will announce the winner this evening.

Victor Aguilar held a job at Starbucks and maintained a 4.09 grade-point average throughout the school year, and stayed involved with community service organizations like Key Club and After-School Aid. Justin Levinson worked part time at Red Robin Restaurant, volunteered at West Hills Hospital and still finished second in his graduating class. Jessica Orellana was also in the top 10 in her class, volunteered as a peer tutor both at her own school and Hart Street Elementary and is a part-time employee of See's Candies.

Representatives from Westfield, the school and Zine's office chose the three finalists. The winner will get a $5,000 scholarship, second place will get $3,000, and third place will get $2,000.

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