FULLERTON : Sunny Hills Scholars Win Singapore Trip

Surviving stiff competition from other frazzled teen-agers, an academic team from Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton won an all-expenses paid trip to Singapore Tuesday in a contest that tested their knowledge of current events and Asian culture.

Fielding questions that asked for the names of major airports in Singapore and Malaysia and the current leaders of Asian countries, more than 70 young people battled for two hours in eight rounds of questioning in the Ambassadors to Singapore Competition.

“It’s going to be so exciting to see Singapore again,” said Sunny Hills junior Atsushi Kawamodo, 17, who was born in Singapore but says he has forgotten many details of his native country. “I want to see the places and the people and find out whether it’s the same as my parents remember.”

The students were quizzed on subjects and personalities ranging from former Philippines first lady--and current presidential candidate--Imelda Marcos, to the merits of various economic reforms, to literacy rates.

“I’m glad my office doesn’t depend on me being able to answer some of these questions,” Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley told the students after the competition.

The 12 teams of sophomores and juniors had already bested a field of more than 100 teams of four to six students, who competed for a contest spot by writing essays on the United States’ relationship with Singapore. In the end, the five top-scoring teams were chosen for the trip.

The other squads heading to Singapore are from Ayala High School in Chino Hills, Buena High in Ventura, California Academy of Math and Science in Carson, and Harvard-Westlake in North Hollywood.

The five schools will take part in a nine-day field trip in March, which promises a visit to one of the oldest temples in Malaysia and a shopping excursion. The trip is sponsored by Singapore Airlines and administered by the Los Angeles Times through its Times in Education Program.