West San Jose Resident

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Student receives
an award from
Harvard University

Harvard's Karan Lodha was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest academic honor society. Lodha, whose parents are Shekhar and Sangeeta Lodha of Saratoga, was one of 48 seniors chosen to receive the honor in the 2007 fall term. The recipients were honored at a private induction ceremony on Dec. 10.

Lodha attended The Harker School in West San Jose, and now concentrates in government at Harvard.

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary.

Moreland Middle
hosts district
speech contest

The Moreland School District held its 11th speech contest on Dec. 13 at Moreland Middle School. At each school, fourth- through eighth-grade students competed against their classmates for a chance to enter the finals.

The final competition featured 43 students. The topic, "Looking Forward, Remembering the Past: Lessons Learned from History," brought speeches about the Nanking massacre, racial profiling and global warming.

Judges from the community selected two winners from each grade level: fourth grade, Negin Khalili and Wesley Lum; fifth grade, Madison Crowe and Olivia Smuda; sixth grade, Sierra Dwyer and Alec Todd; seventh grade, Ritika Pai and Krishnan Srinivasan; and eighth grade, Nathan Foos and Connie Kwong.