'SEPT. 11' COLLAGE BRINGS $500 PRIZE.

Byline: DIANA PEYTON Community Columnist

Collage artist Eva Hyam won $500 from the Valley Institute of Visual Arts (VIVA) for her work, ``September 11, 2001'' at the ``Collage Artists of America'' exhibit.

The mother of two created the piece after a visualization of the event led by Sharon Kagan at the Creativity Center in Santa Monica.

``Sharon is really my mentor. Through the class, I tapped into my creativity. It brought that out in me. Art has always been one of my loves, but not in this way,'' said Hyam, art director at Buena Vista Television.

Hyam offers the artwork as a memorial to those who suffered in the attacks. ``I didn't want to come from anger and rage, but more from the vulnerability that we all feel,'' she said.

The Woodland Hills resident is donating the $500 award, along with any proceeds from the sale of her collage, to the victims of the tragedies. Called ``Attachments,'' the exhibit runs until Oct. 27 at VIVA, 8516 Reseda Blvd., Northridge.

Her first one-woman show, ``Metamorphosis,'' featuring her abstract paintings, will be held Nov. 1-30 at the Sunyata Art Gallery in San Pedro.

Officer Charles Mendez, a Tarzana resident and member of the U.S. Federal Protective Services, was honored Oct. 16 by the Tarzana Chamber of Commerce for his participation on a dig team after the World Trade Center attacks.

``You really don't appreciate life until after you've been through an incident like this,'' he said.

The 34-year-old was deployed to the New York Terrorist Trial Operation Command in August at the U.S. Court House Federal Building and Bureau of Prisons, about two blocks from the twin towers.

While in New York on the morning of the attacks, he received a frantic call asking for assistance at the site to help New York Firefighters.

He became one of the members of a bucket brigade. Their task: to look for survivors. ``We watched one of the towers go down in front of us,'' he said.

The experience affected the federal officer personally once he returned home. ``It didn't hit me for about a week or two later; my wife would cry every time she would see something about the attacks,'' he said. ``It reminded me of how lucky I really was.''

Mendez returned home Sept. 26 to his wife, Cindi and children, Dominic, 13, and Miranda, 9.

Several local students will be studying abroad for their careers.

The Chinese government has honored two California State University, Northridge, students with full scholarships to attend classes in China. Nanjing University will host Oliver May, who will study music; James Lo will pursue film study at the Beijing Film Academy.

Justin M. Shields has become a first-year student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.

From Agoura Hills, the newly commissioned second lieutenant is serving in the U.S. Army.

California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks has announced its honors students.

The students and cities of residence are Catherine Perez Fountain, Calabasas; Amber Goodrich, West Hills; Brittanny Dipla, Encino; Brianna Parisian, Woodland Hills and Lisa McFadden, Oak Park.

Westlake Village students include Cassandra Wolf, Alissa Doerfler, Christa Hudson, Matthew Marsh, Sarah Renaud, Molly Bilden and Shannon Trumbauer.

Also, Mark Land, Lindsay Walker, Michael Alberti, Brady MacDonald Betzel, Ian Caldwell and Courtney Lillich. Also included are Rocio Quintana, Camarillo; and Julie Phinney, Susan Schmidt, Stephanie Tacke and Brandee Tecson, all of Moorpark.

Simi Valley residents are Jason Poyser, Jessica Tugwell, Joel Geersen, Gianina Lomedico, Jennifer Montanio, Katherine Mundy, Roxanne Rader and Kristina Schaefer. Also honored are Chelsea Jacoby, Acton; Cheryl Clough, Lake Hughes; and Heather Hagan, Palmdale.

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Eva Hyam will donate the $500 prize she won for this collage, titled ``September 11, 2001,'' to victims of the terrorist attacks.