AGENCIES OFFER TEENS FAIRY-TALE AFTERNOON.

Byline: Dennis McCarthy

She walked sheepishly out of the back room, turning every head in the place.

It was as if Cinderella had just walked into the ball.

Mouths fell open and heads shook. This couldn't be the same shy teen-age girl who had walked into the La Canada Flintridge church gymnasium only a few hours earlier dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt, could it?

Look at her now. A beauty. Wearing a prom dress, high heels, earrings and a beautiful necklace. What a knockout.

Sally smiled and put her head down. She was embarrassed by all this sudden attention and applause. But she wasn't fooling anyone. She loved every minute of it.

They all did - all these 60 beautiful girls, who never get attention or applause like this.

I wish I could tell you their real names and show you their faces, but I can't. We're not supposed to know who they are. That's what the law says.

Through no fault of their own, they are wards of the court in Los Angeles County, and, as juveniles, their identities are supposed to be kept secret.

Their parents messed up bad, and these girls were taken away from them. Now, they're paying for their parents' sins - living in foster care homes and residential care facilities where they all share one thing in common.

None of them have much more than the clothes on their back.

Proms, grad night and all the extracurricular activities that girls their age typically enjoy are not part of their lives.

But for one afternoon in a church gymnasium this week, that all changed.

Cinderella was invited to the ball, and she stole more than a few hearts.

The women stood in a small group off to the side of the room, watching the girls go through racks of dresses, rows of shoes and tables filled with jewelry and makeup - all of it donated for them to keep by local retailers and manufacturers.

``Look at them,'' said Susan Jakubowski, regional resource coordinator for the Department of Children and Family Services. ``They're absolutely radiant. None of them are used to this kind of treatment and attention.''

Julie Brumana from Valley Interfaith Council and a handful of church volunteers nodded in agreement. They all knew what this meant to the girls, being treated like they were somebody special instead of being shunted off to the side of society like they were extra baggage.

``Because of the expense, our kids don't get to go to the proms and grad nights or take part in the after-school activities like other kids,'' said Laura Sager, who with Jackie Solomon coordinated this Princess for a Day event for the North Hollywood office of the Department of Children and Family Services.

``Foster care parents usually have three or four kids in their homes and don't have the time to be transporting each of them to dance lessons, karate or whatever they want to do,'' Sager said.

``There's no money for cap and gown, school rings, yearbooks or prom dresses.''

But all that is slowly changing with the assistance of Allegiance for the Care of Abused Children, a Valley Interfaith Council program, and local church congregations and civic groups.

Cinderella is finally being invited to the ball.

As two of her friends from the Hathaway Children's Services community site in Lake View Terrace try to find prom dresses that fit them, Sally stares hard at the Polaroid picture in her hand.

She hardly recognizes herself, all dressed up like this, she says.

``I've never worn a dress like this,'' Sally says. ``Never. It's wonderful.''

There's a school dance coming up soon at Hathaway, and the 16-year-old was planning to wear the same dress she wore for the Thanksgiving and Christmas parties last year at the residential care facility.

The only dress hanging in her closet. The one she bought last summer at Ross for $10, she says.

``It's nice, but it isn't a prom dress,'' Sally says, smiling as another girl in a prom dress walks sheepishly from the back room to the stage - turning every head in the place.

Another Cinderella - living life as a ward of the court until she's 18 - finally being invited to the ball.

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PHOTO Girls try cosmetics during the Princess for a Day event in La Canada Flintridge.

David Sprague/Daily News