High Life: A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Anaheim Student in Dance Finals

Mariah Hyde of Anaheim, who attends Orange County High School of the Arts, was recently named a jazz/modern dance finalist for the third annual Spotlight Awards.

The event, produced by the Los Angeles Music Center education division and entertainment industry professionals, attracted nearly 300 teen-agers from Southern California who competed for scholarships in six performance categories.

Still to be named are the finalists in the jazz/pop vocal and classical vocal categories.

The competition culminates with performances by the 12 finalists on stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on March 18. The winners will receive $5,000 scholarships and the runners-up $2,500 scholarships.

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance and dinner are $150. In addition, 2,500 tickets will be donated to schools to enable parents and peers to attend the performance. For further information, call (213) 972-7567.

Esperanza High School in Anaheim was the only Orange County school to place at the annual Dance Team National Championship held recently at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The event, sponsored by NCA Superstar, a division of the National Cheerleaders Assn., drew 1,300 competitors representing more than 80 dance studios, junior high schools and high schools from 20 states.

Esperanza won first place and was declared national champion in jazz dance and body rock--contemporary, urban-style dancing--for teams with 12 members or less.

“The man with the best job in the country is the vice president. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, ‘How’s the President?’ ” --Will Rogers (1879-1935)