VALENCIA TEEN WINS $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP.

Byline: SIMONE SCHRAMM Community columnist

Shade Ogunleye of Valencia, who founded the nonprofit organization Angels in Adoption, received a $1,000 scholarship from KABC-TV (Channel 7) and Greenlight Financial in recognition of her contribution to the community.

Her group helped raise more than $100,000 for the Alfaro Orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico.

``I am a person with a mission,'' said Shade, 17. ``I feel so deeply in love with these kids and I wanted to find other people to go out with me so we can change the world.''

Shade also volunteers for Adaptive Sports and Recreation at the YMCA in Santa Clarita and spends every summer volunteering at the Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp at California State University, Northridge. She is currently traveling through Europe as a student ambassador for the camp.

``As a person who has been very blessed in life, I believe that it is my duty to turn around and help those less fortunate,'' Shade said.

Herman Berman of Sherman Oaks received a $500 Gleitsman Foundation Award of Achievement for his ongoing efforts in feeding the hungry with his organization called the Bagel Brigade.

Berman helped organize the 10-year-old program, which provides day-old baked goods to the poor. According to Berman, about a million bagels and another million loaves of bread were distributed last year by the brigade.

``I was very proud and especially pleased because we are so short on funds to do some of the things we want to do,'' said Berman.

To volunteer for the Bagel Brigade, call [phone].

The Northridge Singers, an acclaimed choral group from California State University, Northridge, was named Choir of the World during their debut at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod competition in Wales.

The group also won first place in the mixed-choir division and fifth in the folk-song choirs competition. In addition, Vanessa Douglas won first place and Delaney Gibson took third place in the songs from shows division; and Shira Thomas won first place and Sara Murphy won second in the vocal solo competition.

Dario Nora of Pacoima received a Volunteer Service Award from Wells Fargo in recognition of his contributions to the Hubert Humphrey Recreation Center in Pacoima.

The bank will contribute $1,000 to the center in Nora's honor.

Twins Niko and Theo Milonopoulos of Studio City participated in the U.S. House of Representatives Democratic page program during the second half of the 2003 congressional summer session.

The three-week session began on July 6 and ended Friday.

Niko and Theo joined other high school juniors from across the nation in preparing the House floor for sessions, answering phones in the Democratic Cloakroom, delivering correspondence and ringing the House bell for a vote.

Among other things, both young men are involved in violence prevention through the Kidz Voice-LA organization they co-founded five years ago.

Matthew Delja of Northridge and Jennifer Lovick of Simi Valley each received a $2,500 scholarship from the SBC Foundation, which provides financial assistance to children of SBC employees.