She Drew an Ace

Sometimes dreams can become a reality. Yuliana Cabrera, 9, has won $10,000 for Burton Elementary School for new playground equipment. The fourth-grader was the grand-prize winner in a contest--sponsored by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation--in which she drew the playground of her dreams.

“I was so excited to find out I had won,” the doubtful artist said of her crayon masterpiece showing a tennis court, swings, slides--even a swimming pool.

Administrators at Yuliana’s Panorama City school were just as thrilled.

School staffers had been trying for months to raise funds to replace outdated jungle gyms.

“And lo and behold,” said Assistant Principal Maria Awakian, “Yuliana wins this contest! We are thrilled and grateful to her.”

The school is utilizing money from Proposition BB--the $2.4-billion school bond approved by Los Angeles voters in 1997--for other playground renovations, but had fallen short of funds to replace its iron playground equipment that can be dangerous.

“This is a big drop in the bucket for us,” Awakian said.

KUDOS

They Have a Dream: Two students from Sierra Canyon Middle School in Chatsworth are among 25 national winners selected by the nonprofit leadership and service training program “Do Something” for their essays honoring the ideals of the late Martin Luther King Jr.

Eric Miller, 13, wrote about being judgmental--especially toward the handicapped--and detailed a dance at his school that paired students with a disabled partner with “extraordinary” results.

And 13-year-old Rajpal Brar’s essay pointed out the poor treatment of the country’s war veterans. Brar’s essay suggested visiting veterans to thank them for their service. The students’ essays were chosen from among 1,500 entries.

In the Spotlight: Twelve Valley high school-age students have advanced in the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County’s 12th Annual Spotlight Awards. The arts students will attend master classes taught by professionals and compete for scholarships up to $5,000 in such subjects as ballet, dance, voice and classical instrumental music.

Local semifinalists are: Laura Camille de Guia, 17, of Panorama City; Cory Silva, 16, of Woodland Hills; Jessica Walker, 17, of Chatsworth; Jeffery Williams, 17, of Palmdale; Spencer Doty, 17, of Glendale; Cameron Russell Graves, 17, of Panorama City; Justin Clark Johnson, 18 of Agoura Hills; B’Randy Francesca Brooks, 17, of North Hollywood; Leota Penny, 17, of Canyon Country; Hallie Alana Silverston, 16, of Granada Hills; Tiffany Hsieh, 15, of Tarzana, and Kendahl Feldman, 14, of Newhall.

Finalists will perform at a gala competition in April at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

PROGRAM NOTES

Art for All: After-school arts enrichment is back at the Valley Community School of the Arts--a program designed to bring arts education to low-income students throughout the San Fernando Valley. Currently, the program--which includes dance, music, drama and fine arts classes after school and Saturdays--is available to students at Burbank Boulevard School and the Country School. Administrators plan to expand the program to other Valley schools with a $75,000 grant from the Ahmanson Foundation. For details on how to start a similar program at your school, call (818) 769-2473.

Class Notes appears every Wednesday. Send news about schools to the Valley Edition, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Or fax it to (818) 772-3338.