14 Students Receive College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships

Fourteen high school seniors from the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Conejo and Simi valleys are among 2,500 recipients of college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships in 1989.

About 200 private and public institutions in 44 states and the District of Columbia provide Merit Scholarships to students. Winners of the awards, which range from $250 to $2,000 for up to four years of undergraduate study, are chosen by officials of each institution.

Scholarship winners and the sponsoring institution they will attend include:

David A. Baron of Canoga Park, Cleveland High School, American University, Washington; Darren E. Kessner of Chatsworth, Van Nuys High School, UCLA; Craig H. Newman of Chatsworth, Chatsworth High School, UCLA; Kathy E. Kwon of Northridge, Granada Hills High School, UC San Diego.

Naomi M. Mendelovicz of Northridge, Buckley School, UCLA; Joshua D. Hart of Panorama City, Monroe High School, UCLA; Thomas H. Day of Saugus, William S. Hart High School, UC San Diego; Heidi E. Brown of Simi Valley, Royal High School, UCLA; Simon J. Taylor of Simi Valley, Royal High School, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont.

Eli T. Ziv of Tarzana, Birmingham High School, UCLA; Alison Wiltbank of Thousand Oaks, Westlake High School, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; Michael W. Hnat of Thousand Oaks, Thousand Oaks High School, UCLA; Garrett A. Park of Westlake, Agoura High School, UCLA, and Ari H. Schindler of Woodland Hills, Golda Meir School, UCLA.

The nonprofit National Merit Scholarship Corp., established in 1955, helps identify and honor superior students.

About 6,000 National Merit Scholarships totaling about $24 million are offered annually. The program is funded by more than 600 independent sponsor organizations and institutions.

Awards presented by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. and those sponsored by corporations have already been announced.