ORGANIZATIONS AID VALLEY STUDENTS' MEDICAL STUDIES.

Byline: DIANA PEYTON Community Columnist

Two San Fernando Valley students will be studying medicine with the support of various academic organizations.

Village Christian High School graduate Jonathan Obest has been invited to San Francisco this month to participate in the 1999 National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine.

Obest will have the opportunity to study for 11 days with leaders in the medical community. His agenda will include visits to the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine; University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine; California Pacific Medical Center, Pacific Campus; Childrens Hospital Oakland; David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base; and the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

The Sun Valley resident graduated on the Gold Honor Roll for students with a grade point average of 3.75 or over. He was also a peer tutor.

Obest's high SAT scores earned his participation in the University of California, Irvine, Academic Talent Search 1995-1996.

Chatsworth resident Vythao Tran has been accepted into a seven-year bachelor's and doctoral program of osteopathic medicine at Pitzer College and Western University of Health Science.

Tran intends to earn her bachelor's degree in three years. If she continues to meet the academic requirements of the program, she will be invited to continue at Western University.

She was selected for the program that links the two schools by a panel that considered her potential and interest in medicine.

The Los Angeles Education Partnership has awarded teachers at several local schools with Excellence in Education Awards.

Silvia Casteneda, Catherine Emrani, Rochelle Lapides and Olivia Ledezma de Robles were awarded as a team from Haddon Avenue School in Pacoima.

Teachers at Maclay Middle School in Pacoima also received awards, including Christine Alcaraz, Helen Bartosik, Leslie De Grace, Sara Chase, David Cooper, Danielle Doherty, Mark Evans, Joshara Fletcher, Melody Jones, Diane Hassell, James McGroarty, Francesca Olear, Sandra Shakespeare, Tracie Wilson and Clifton Winnard.

Receiving teaching awards at Welby Way Gifted Magnet School in Canoga Park were Naomi Glickfeld, Marcia Koff and Linda Weissler.

A Community Award was given to Lowman Special Education Center in North Hollywood. Helen Hartel is the principal there. The Grant/Van Nuys cluster administrator is Fran Ramirez.

The awards honor the accomplishments of teachers, schools and communities in the LAUSD that exemplify good educational practices for students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Honorees are selected by a committee and site visit teams.

The Los Angeles Education Partnership receives funding from the Ahmanson Foundation.

Four students have been awarded $10,000 scholarships by the Milken Family Foundation.

The recipients have demonstrated academic ability and interest in their communities through service and leadership.

Diana Biason, a graduate of Monroe High School in North Hills, was Commander of the LAUSD's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. She also is the youngest All-City Colonel in the program's history.

Van Nuys High School graduate Joanne Chang will study astrophysics or political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is active in the Junior State of America, a student political organization.

Diana Hong will major in economics at the University of Pennsylvania. A graduate of North Hollywood High, she was the president and founder of the Speech Club. She has also served as a lieutenant governor of the International Key Clubs in the East San Fernando Valley.

Daniel Song, first violin in Harvard-Westlake High's symphony orchestra, is planning to study economics at Harvard University. As a varsity swim team member, he became a finalist in the Western Zone Championships.

The recipients were honored at the Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference held June 17-20 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.