12 High School Students Awarded Merit Scholarships

Twelve South Bay high school students are among 2,800 winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarships. The winners were chosen from among Merit Program finalists who reported plans to attend the sponsor college. Officials of each institution selected recipients and determined their stipend amounts. Each of the young men and women will receive between $1,000 and $8,000 over the four years of undergraduate study at the sponsoring college or university.

The winners, their schools, career fields and sponsor colleges are:

Melanie S. Murakami, Gardena High School, business (investment/management), USC.

Sangita N. Shah, Palos Verdes High School, medicine, UCLA.

Ashkan Babaie, Rolling Hills High School, undecided, UCLA.

Brian C. Banister, Rolling Hills High School, electrical engineering, UC San Diego.

Bibiana J. Kim, Rolling Hills High School, medicine, University of Chicago.

Derek S. Kubota, Miraleste High School, law, UCLA.

Tanja G. Brull, Mira Costa High School, history (teaching), USC.

Robert S. Base, Torrance High School, mechanical engineering, UCLA.

Karen D. Fullenwider, Torrance High School, accounting, USC.

Camille L. Mitzner, North High School, political science, American University, Washington, D.C.

Darren I Urada, Narbonne High School, undecided, UCLA.

John V. Sichi, Loyola High School, computer science, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont.