N. Alexander Sporck of Saratoga, a sophomore at Bellarmine College Preparatory of San Jose, competed in the 29th annual Mandarin Speech Contest sponsored by the Chinese Language Teachers Association of California.

The contest was held at UC-Berkeley and included participants from elementary to college levels. The purpose of the contest was to foster good language skills, with emphasis on accuracy in pronunciation and tones, fluency, delivery, cadence and content. Among competitors, Sporck took first place in the high school division for a non-heritage speaker in the third year of study.

Summer reading
club at the library

Sign-ups begin June 14 for Saratoga Library's summer reading program. Children entering first grade and up may participate by reading at least 10 books during the summer. Reading certificates and prizes will be distributed at an awards ceremony on Aug. 11. For more information, visit the library at 13650 Saratoga Ave. or call 408.867.6126.

Success Chess
summer camps

Success Chess camps will be held for school-aged children throughout the summer through the Los Gatos­Saratoga Community Education and Recreation Department. Programs for beginners through advanced-level chess players will be held in the Argonaut Elementary School cafeteria. For more information, visit www.successchess.org or call the recreation department at 408.354.8700, ext. 221 or 225.

Liu receives
scholarship

Erica Liu of Saratoga, a recent graduate of Archbishop Mitty High School, received a National Merit special scholarship from State Farm Insurance. She has plans to attend Stanford University in the fall, majoring in communications. She is the daughter of Jim and Tina Liu of Saratoga. Liu is also Mitty's 2003­04 Wendy's Heisman scholar athlete, Mitty CIF scholar athlete of the year and Mitty athlete of the year, and she made the principal's honor roll for having a 3.75 grade point average or higher every semester.