HAMILTON ELEMENTARY HONORS 36 PUPILS.

Byline: Joanne Pepiak Education Columnist

Hamilton Elementary School has chosen 36 pupils to receive the new Most Improved Student award for the 1995-96 school year.

The recipients, who got certificates at a recent end-of-year ceremony, were selected by teachers because of marked improvement in academics, citizenship, personal growth, maturity or other criteria, Principal Judy Chase said.

One student was chosen from each class, she said. The award was sponsored by the Rosamond Woman's Club.

Students honored from the Blue attendance track were Sandra Castaneda, Jenni Medina, Matthew Sadler, Jackie Medina, Ashley Gibbs, Carolyn Smith, Nicholas Comer, Danielle Lamb, Jamie Duggins, Justen Martinez and Daniel Flores.

Recipients from the Red attendance track were Michael Garcia, Kelsey Hensley, Matthew Landick-Lundsted, Ashley Gutierrez, Sara Duggan, Christopher Struble, Armando Alcala, Michael Castillo, Albert Hernandez and Chela Czirr.

Green track pupils honored were Jose Rebollo, Liset Varela, Gabriel Hernandez, Esla Rodriguez, Britania Hulse/Langford, William Ferman, Stacey Jager and Eric Mendoza.

Yellow track pupils honored were Andrea Galindo, Asusena Reyes, Jessica Valencia, Matthew Valdez, Ryan Johnson, Liliana Olvera and Daniella Calderon.

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley High School marching band director Joseph Pincetich attended a national music education conference June 24-29 in Illinois as a result of cooperation between the Antelope Valley Union High School District and a major musical instrument manufacturer.

Kanstrul Musical Instruments, which makes custom brass instruments, asked Pincetich to attend the Bands of America conference at Illinois State University and paid for his travel and lodging expenses, he said.

In addition, district officials agreed to pick up the tab for Pincetich's conference fees, he said.

``It's a wonderful opportunity,'' Pincetich said. ``It's nice to see the cooperation between the district and industry because that's something that people are looking for - more activity by the education realm getting together with industry to provide things.''

Pincetich, one of only three band directors from California to attend the conference, assisted the Kanstrul company over the past year in research and development of a new style of tuba, he said.

The large ``contra-bass'' horn is the first of its kind to convert easily from a shoulder-style model with the bell pointing forward for marching into a lap-type model for concerts, with the bell pointing up, Pincetich said.

The Antelope Valley High School Band Boosters, coordinated by president Dave Collins, raised $16,000 through various fund-raisers to buy four of the new horns, Pincetich said.

Pincetich performed in a concert band and marching band made up of directors from different parts of the country and took part in numerous seminars, classes and training clinics for band students.

Besides the more than 600 band directors attending, more than 2,000 music students from across the United States also participated, Pincetich said.

In addition, several drum and bugle corps performed, as did professional groups such as Tower of Power.