Student’s photography on display at library

Mayuri Bhandari explores many of her interests through the lens of a camera, or two. Now others can view her photographs through an exhibit at Spring Valley Library.

Mayuri, a senior at Palo Verde High School, received the exhibit and the Best of Show award for her photograph "Mendhi Hands" in the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's sixth annual Teen Visual Poetry Contest last year. Forty-eight entries were considered for the prize.

Before opening at Spring Valley Library Dec. 17, her work was displayed in the gallery at Whitney Library.

Mayuri's art collection on display includes 35 photographs, both in color, and black and white, and a few pieces of pottery.

"There are all different kinds of photographs on display," noted Mayuri, whose photographs are both film and digital images.

"I love shooting pictures of my family and capturing emotions," Mayuri said. "I love shooting nature and culture stuff such as Indian temples, anything cultural."

In addition to her artwork, Mayuri enjoys ballet, jazz and Indian dancing, and is a competitive figure skater with the Figure Skating Club of Nevada.

Mayuri's work will be on display through Feb. 19 at the Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.

In other youth news:

* Twenty-two students have advanced to the spelling bee finals for the Clark County School District. The sixth-grade finalists are: Alec Fox of Becker Middle School; Matthan Mallari of Canarelli Middle School; Sofia Giner of Hyde Park Middle School; Ben Tsai of Leavitt Middle School; Julien Tosques of Miller Middle School; Anthony Kovach of Tarkanian Middle School; and Brett Murray of Webb Middle School.

Seventh-grade finalists are: Drazen Anderson of Canarelli; Richard Leonardo of Cortney Junior High School; Sabrina Antonio of Harney Middle School; Alice Kuo of Hyde Park; Armando Salazar of Johnston Middle School; Ally Horseman of Martin Middle School; and Jordyn Phillips of Swainston Middle School.

And, the eighth-grade finalists are: Elias Leers of Bailey Middle School; Jessica Budke of Canarelli; Jazlyn Archer of Faiss Middle School; Catherine Chan of Fertitta Middle School; Irvell Torremoro of Findlay Middle School; Brett Williams of Leavitt; Daniel Waqar of Rogich Middle School; and Robert Bulan of Schofield Middle School.

The finals will run from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 30 at KLVX-TV, Channel 10, 4210 Channel 10 Drive. They will be broadcast on Channel 10 at 7 a.m. Feb. 3.

* Members of the Spring Valley High School Multicultural Club and DECA organization will host a Battle of the Bands on Thursday to benefit the nonprofit organization Invisible Children. The five bands scheduled to perform are the Seventh Plague, Far Fetched, Peace Frog, Super Unleaded, and 9th and Lewis. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

* Las Vegas Valley speech and debate teams will have a screening of "The Great Debaters" at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29 to raise funds for the Desert Lights National Speech and Debate Tournament, the 2008 national tournament of the National Forensics League. The screening will be at the Brendan Theatres at the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road. Tickets are $20 and include popcorn and a drink. For more information and to purchase tickets, call Karen Durkin at 521-1080 or Scott Ginger at 799-0950.

The national tournament will be June 15-20 in Las Vegas, with more than 3,000 students expected to participate.

If you know of a worthy candidate for this column, mail information to Youth Spotlight, Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070, or send faxes to 383-4676.