DUDS SHOWN AT TRADE TECH'S 10TH ANNUAL FASHION SHOW.

Byline: DIANA PEYTON Community Columnist

It was a dressy event sans black ties.

Students from three local high schools attended the 10th annual Los Angeles Trade Technical College Career Fair and Gold Thimble Fashion Show held last month in Los Angeles.

Sharon Tate, dean of Academic Affairs, described the fashion program at the trade school as a technology-rich environment.

``Computers are speeding up the way we do things. Preproduction and pattern-making are all computerized. We are doing much more e-business these days, so we are teaching our students to use all of this technology - and it's all donated by the industry,'' she said.

L.A. Trade Tech hails from a long history of fashion training.

``Our program is located in the middle of the apparel district and we are the largest fashion school in the community college district. We have been around since the late '20s,'' Tate said.

The school has many students from the San Fernando Valley. Arleta resident Carla Martinez will graduate in June from the school with an associate of arts degree in fashion.

``I've always enjoyed making my own clothes. I hope to own my own company one day,'' she said.

Martinez displayed a silver cocktail dress copied from designer Therry Mugler at the fair.

Educational sessions and tours of the facility were offered to students from 40 LAUSD high schools including Van Nuys High School and the West Valley Occupational Center.

Sherman Oaks attorney Jeffrey Marvel, does volunteer work as part of a network of lawyers answering inquiries for the Patient Advocates Foundation. The Virginia-based nonprofit organization offers free mediation assistance for access to health care, illness-related employment problems and help with financial crisis.

Marvel's primary interest is in helping folks deal with Social Security, disability and supplemental security income claims, but he also helps those with catastrophic illness.

``As you know, people have died waiting for benefits,'' he said.

``I'm happy to help. I give advice when I can and often refer patients to the proper specialist,'' Marvel said.

Marvel practices at Health Advocates in Sherman Oaks.

``The kind of work we do is the same (as the foundation's). We're here to fight the government because they are denying benefits,'' he said.

For more information, call Health Advocates at [phone].

The Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County has named several high school students from the Daily News readership area as semifinalists in the 13th annual Spotlight Awards Competition.

In the ballet category, Chatsworth resident Shannon Paige Maynor and Hila Schoffman of Woodland Hills were chosen.

Cello player Bronwyn Banerdt of Woodland Hills was named in the classical instrumental music category.

In Classical Voice, Hallie Silverston from Granada Hills and Brianne Martin of Thousand Oaks won as semifinalists and in jazz and modern dance, Woodland Hills resident Cory Silva was selected.

Winners will be named April 17 at a gala at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The winner will receive $5,000 and runners-up will be given $2,500.

Ofra and Norbert Weinberg, directors of the Huntington Learning Center in Encino, have received the Executive's Club Award 2000 for Outstanding Achievement at the companies' national convention.

The local center has been open for five years and is one of 200 locations nationwide, providing motivation and academic help to students.

Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks has dedicated a 35,000-square- foot Mission-style building to house the Fritz B. Burns Center for Arts and Technology.

The dedication of the building was presided over by Brother William C. Nick, of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, who also serves as president of Notre Dame High School.

The dedication was the end of a four-year fund-raising campaign called Share the Vision, which brought in $5.1 million for the project.