THEY CAME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. Some came from the corporate world, some from the entertainment world. Some of them taught classes and took attendance, while others supervised recess and met with students, teachers and parents. But whatever their backgrounds, most came away with valuable learning experiences by serving as a "Principal for a Day."

"It's all about coming together and effecting change," said Barry Blumberg, executive vice president of Walt Disney Animation., during his visit to Selma Avenue school. "My coming here is the first step in learning how I can make a difference."

Blumberg, along with more than 200 leaders in business and entertainment communities carried out a full day's worth of duties as the "principals" of some of the most diverse and challenging elementary, middle, senior high and special education schools in Los Angeles. Their goal was to learn more about public education in Los Angeles.

Principal for a Day is a project of The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) in association with the Los Angeles Educational Partnership (LAEP) and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The project is designed to engage a broad spectrum of the entertainment industry, including actors, agents, writers, directors, producers and executives, as well as other business and community leaders in a realistic learning experience that will provide insight into the strengths of public schools and the challenges they face.

At Belvedere Middle School in East Los Angeles, Los Angeles District Attorney Gil Garcetti spoke with parents in Spanish and English about their children.

"I understand the realities of being a working parent with school-age children," he told the group. "Sometimes there's not enough time in the day to do everything."

Armed with a walkie talkie just like school principal Yolanda Aguerrebere, Garcetti toured the school, ate lunch in the cafeteria, spoke with counselors about discipline problems and was serenaded by Belvedere's Jazz band.

"I feel I can be a role model for these kids," Garcetti said in jazz standards. "I come from a background not unlike theirs. I grew up in East LA. My mother graduated from Belvedere."

At 42nd Street School in south Los Angeles, City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas gave fifth-grade students a civics lesson about the daily duties of elected officials. But more importantly, he listened carefully to school principal La Verne Van Zant, who expressed her concerns.

"Safety is our big issue here," Principal La Verne Van Zant stressed to Ridley-Thomas during his visit. "I can deal with long hours and crowded classrooms, but I wont tolerate these kids being in an unsafe environment," she said.

Ridley-Thomas said he would bring Van Zant's concerns before the City Council.

"As a former high school teacher I know what I'm looking for in a well maintained school," he said. "I can see the care that the teachers put into their classrooms and I'm impressed. I think it's important for people in the 'real world' to see what's happening in the real schools, not just read about it in the newspaper."

A few miles away at Foshay Learning Center, a K-12 facility engaged in the Urban Learning Center model, film producer David Ladd spoke to a third-grade class about the importance of education as a background to life.

"If you have a solid education then whatever you decide to do with your life becomes easier - even producing films."

Ladd, who said he "jumped at the chance" to become a "Principal for a Day," was impressed with Principal Howard Lappin's "aggressive approach" in running an inner-city school like Foshay.

"I thought I was going to see more of the woes of the system, but instead I'm seeing a well-run, clean school that does not fit into my idea of the typical inner-city school."

While participants in Principal for a Day make no commitment beyond visiting school campuses, project sponsors hope that the event will serve as a catalyst for partnerships between schools and community members that can provide schools access to needed technical assistance, expertise and support. Companies and individuals considering further involvement will be encouraged to consider focusing their efforts in areas of significant need such as literacy, teacher development, the arts, technology and after school programs where a company or individual could make an immediate impact at a school. EIF and LAEP will also offer specific opportunities for immediate participation.

"Our public schools are a reflection of our community, they belong to us. If they have problems, they are problems caused in great part by our own neglect," said Peggy Funkhouser, president of the Los Angeles Educational Partnership. If they are to improve we need to promote effective civic involvement in and support for our schools.