SPEAKING FRANKLY, TEEN'S A WINNER.

Byline: DIANA PEYTON Community Columnist

Seventeen-year-old Jahmy Hines will speak in the State American Legion High School Oratorical competition to be held at 1 p.m. today at Post 26 in Bakersfield.

Mark Logsdon, chairman of the Woodland Hills Post 826 oratorical committee, sees the teen as an outstanding youth. ``He's a very, very good kid, down to earth and religious. I'm really impressed by how far he has come,'' said the former English teacher. The teen won first place in the Legion's district competition.

Hines appeared in this column in 1999 when he received special recognition from Canoga Park businessman Timothy Kikalo. The owner of Auto Repairs Unlimited awarded him an undisclosed sum of money toward his education while he was in the New Directions for Youth Program in Van Nuys. Hines also received a dictionary, which he seems to have put to good use.

Kikalo said he thought Hines was ``unique, someone who has come a long way,'' and wanted to help Hines get the college education he had never been able to receive. At the time, the youth was a participant in the National Save the Children Program, for which he traveled to Washington, D.C.

Hines says he has turned his life around. ``I was raised in the Valley and I was a troubled teen. I found God and it changed my life. I am a member of Bethany Community Church of North Hills and I am very proud of that,'' he said.

He finished his senior curriculum a semester early at Taft High School and is waiting to graduate with his peers. He also coaches Little League at Sylmar Park and plans to attend Mount Sierra College.

Hines gave an eight-minute speech titled, ``The U.S. Constitution - Review and Revision are Essential,'' at the district finals, competing against 20 other candidates. He also gave a required three-minute extemporaneous speech on one of four preselected prestudied parts of the Constitution.

He is the son of Harrietta Hines, a resident of Sylmar.

Second in the district, Faith Pope won $215, and Arash Hailey, third- place finisher, won $75. Both are seniors at Faith Baptist School.

Other members of the Post 826 oratorical committee are Sid Cowles and Don Vetter.

Boys from Northridge Cub Scout Pack 36 observed a multicultural day with Pack 848 from Los Angeles on Feb. 18, to promote brotherhood, mutual understanding and common values.

The boys first attended religious services at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in the Crenshaw area. ``Ninety percent of the boys in our pack are Jewish. We attended services that were Gospel-based performed by Bishop Charles E. Blake. It was the first time I'd been exposed to it, and it left me awe inspired. It was a wonderful experience,'' said Maurice Levin, Pack 36 cubmaster.

After the service, the boys blessed a tree (bad weather kept them from planting one), prepared a meal together and talked about their respective traditions.

Levin said 80 percent to 90 percent of his pack is affiliated with Adat Ari El synagogue in Valley Village.

Larry Stanback, Scout coordinator for Pack 848, said it was a beautiful day. ``Because of the fellowship of the children, the adults - the parents - were all inclined to be more open. I sincerely believe that if the leadership is proactive, those who are in the group will follow the leaders,'' he said. Approximately 60 Scouts and their families participated.

``Kids don't see color, they just want someone to play with who has respect for them,'' Levin said. ``Our goal was to point out what good can be done. We wanted to show what we can do under the umbrella of Scouting.''

The two Scout leaders began planning the multicultural day during a Family Weekend Camp that included the two groups.

Pack 848 will visit the synagogue sometime in May.

Calabasas High senior Esha Datta has been named as a candidate in the 2001 Presidential Scholar Program.

The daughter of Nibir Datta is competing with candidates from each state for an invitation to Washington, D.C.

Students who are chosen will receive a Presidential Scholars medallion at a recognition ceremony and will meet with their elected officials.