DAILY NEWS PEOPLE : ELOY NAVARRO.

Byline: - Andrea Hescheles

Eloy Navarro knows the pressures of growing up in a neighborhood filled with gangs, drugs and violence. He's been there. ``I've seen a lot of bad stuff in Echo Park - people going down the wrong way when they could have gone straight,'' says Navarro. ``There's lots of gangs and violence.''

But he had the guidance and positive influence of a mentor, along with the Boy Scouts, helping him stay on the right track. ``It gave me an extra advantage,'' he said. ``I could look there. I made some good friends.''

Because of his experience, he wants to be an example to young people who are at risk of being drawn in by bad influences.

For five years, Navarro has been a Scout with the LAPD Explorers. ``We do crowd control and security for events. It opens you up to the law-enforcement field,'' he said.

Also, he's been taking classes to become a certified emergency medical technician (EMT) and will finish the program next month. In the fall, he will attend CSUN, where he plans to major in Radio-TV-Film.

AGE: 18

RESIDENCE: Van Nuys

BORN AND RAISED IN: Born in East Los Angeles; raised in Echo Park.

OCCUPATION: Student; graduated from Grant High School last month.

MARITAL STATUS: Single

CHILDREN: None

VOLUNTEERISM: Navarro participates in the Volunteer Center Assistance League of Southern California's Youth in Service to Youth Initiative (YSYI), a program in which older teens spend their time mentoring younger teens. ``We mentor junior high school students. We talk about problems, help them out with their homework and guide them in the right direction. You know, be their role model, serve as a good example to them. Just let them know we're there for them and help them see that not everybody is into gangs and drugs,'' said Navarro, who meets with his young charge, Anthony, every other weekend for three hours.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?: ``In my school, there's a program called Teen Outreach, run by April Joy. She referred us. She let us know about the program.''

WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER?: ``I want to help people. I've wanted to be a police officer since I was little. I want to give back. I used to be part of the after-school program at Rosemont Elementary School. We would be there and play games. The volunteers there would keep us busy and out of trouble. I'd like to give back and give other kids that same opportunity.''

MOST DIFFICULT DAILY TASK: ``My hardest task would be making people happy. Sometimes you just can't make them happy. I try to keep it cool with a lot of people.''

FAVORITE DAILY TASK: ``When I do something good that not only me and that person benefits from it, but everyone does. If I make the person happier, then I've made two or three other people happy, too, because they will smile at others. That's a good part of life. That's what I like to do.''

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: ``When I walk down the street and see little gangsters. They don't know right from wrong; they just get influenced by their older brothers into shaving their heads and dressing in baggy clothing. He (the little brother) doesn't know that it's not right, his brothers make him do it. They are putting him down the wrong path, either in jail or in a funeral home. That's not right. It disappoints me.''

GOALS FOR THE FUTURE: ``My goals are to come out a good guy. Just have a family, live good, live comfortable and finish all the programs that I have now. Just to have a good life.''

WHO RELIES ON YOU THE MOST AND WHO YOU RELY ON: ``I rely on my mom. She's been there for me all the time. Anthony (who he mentors) relies on me. But I rely on Anthony sometimes, too, even though he's a few years younger than me. I don't feel it (the age difference). He's funny and we are so much alike.''

ROLE MODELS: ``My role model is my mom. She can do anything. She's always nice to people. She's strong. It seems like nothing can destroy her. I want to be like that.''

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Photo

Photo: Eloy Navarro

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News