Los Angeles County High School For The Arts

Two San Gabriel Valley students at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts on the Cal State Los Angeles campus are among the 12 finalists in the fifth annual Music Center Spotlight Awards scholarship competition. They are Lily Popova, 18, of Alhambra, classical instrumental music category, and Melissa Stockton, 17, Rowland Heights, modern dance.

The 1987 winners of the California Young Playwrights Project have been announced, and three of the five are from San Diego. Four will have their scripts produced at the original Gaslamp Quarter Theatre: Karen Hartman (a repeat winner from last year), 17, from La Jolla High School; Rita Jeffries, 17, from Grossmont High School, and Josefina M. Lopez, 18, and Pamela Mshana, 18, both graduates of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Three Eastside high school students and one from Bell won scholarships and awards in the annual Arte Latino de Levi's competition to promote the Levi Strauss & Co. Separate competitions were held in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and San Antonio. The students were nominated for the competition by their schools and arts and community organizations. The grand prize winner in Los Angeles was Felipe Zamorano of Bell, whose work can be seen on a billboard at 11th and Main streets.

Gregory Jefferson of Pasadena, a sophomore flutist at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, performed a solo at the "Christmas in Washington" concert under the direction of conductor Ian Fraizier. The event was held Sunday for President Bush and his wife, Barbara, and senators and representatives. It was taped for airing on NBC on Wednesday.

Los Angeles County Board of Education member Barbara Pieper was appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson on Friday as director of the California Arts Council. Pieper, a former mayor of La Canada Flintridge who was defeated by Bill Hoge in a hotly contested race for an Assembly seat in 1992, will replace Joanne Kozberg, who was recently named secretary of state and consumer services.

Gregory Jefferson, 15, of Pasadena, a student at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and Amy Janel Carter, 17, who attends La Canada High School, are among 12 students who will compete for scholarships at The Music Center Spotlight Awards. Gregory will compete in classical instrumental music, Amy in ballet. Finalists were selected from 400 high school students who applied. Other categories are modern dance, opera, pop/musical theater vocal and jazz instrumental music.

The Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts marked the first anniversary of the entertainer's death Thursday by adding eight schools to the list of those receiving scholarship funds. Family and friends of "Mr. Showmanship" also planned a brief graveside ceremony at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills to mark the event, said foundation spokesman Jamie James.