Companies seek out best teens skill-short firms copy pro sports   NEW YORK, NY (BW FEATURES) - The National Basketball Association is not the only organization that is combing high schools for prospective talent. In this era of skilled labor shortages, talented high school graduates are being targeted by companies to hire, train and shape to fit their needs. "Like the NBA, companies are building winning teams by searching out and signing up teen stars," said James E. Challenger, president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., an international outplacement firm. Schaumburg, Illinois-based Motorola Inc. begins recruiting future employees at age 14 through its summer camp and weekend technology program, according to the company's chief executive Christopher Galvin. Southern California's Rowland High School, has an artist trainingprogram that has seen many of its graduates go directly to animation industry giants, including Disney and Warner Bros. One graduate, KimDunning, 18, who could not afford to go to college, was relieved whenDisney called with a job offer. Typical salaries for entry-level animator trainees begin at $40,000 with scheduled increases rapidly bringing annual pay to around $80,000. In Washington, D.C., a group of 23 students at Ballou High School have been promised jobs by several northern Virginia technology firms starving for entry-level network technicians. The students are completing special courses and those passing standard certification exams will be hired with starting salaries ranging from $25,000 to $30,000. "Many high school graduates today are exposed earlier and more often to computers, which will be an increasingly important component of any job, whether it be in a manufacturing plant or Wall Street investment house," said Challenger. "Young people today also have much more confidence. Some teens, having seen their parents become victims of downsizing, may rebel against the typical career path and opt to start their own businesses," Challenger added. One young entrepreneur has not even made it to high school yet. Richie Stachowski, 11, of Morega, California, invented, patented and marketed a non-electronic, underwater walkie-talkie, which is expected to be available at Toys "R" Us by summer. His limited liability corporation, Short Stack, has already brought in several hundred thousand dollars in revenue and other product ideas are in development. At age 15, Steven Peskaitis, Lemont, Illinois, began his own computer software sales company that operated in the basement of his family home. After skipping college, Peskaitis, now 22, is president of Chicago Map Corp., a 17-employee software development company that specializes in mapping software. Peskaitis expects sales of $20 million this year. Trent Eisenberg realized he had marketable computer skills after assisting someone in a Compaq forum with a difficult technical problem. A Compaq representative was so impressed he e-mailed a job offer to Eisenberg, who had to decline, explaining that he was only 14. Instead he began F1 Computer, which provides clients in suburban Minneapolis with computer purchasing help, software training, modem and software installation and routine troubleshooting.