DAILY NEWS PEOPLE : PIA CRUZ.

Byline: - Holly Andres

Pia Cruz has been a Red Cross volunteer since the age of 14. Joining the organization's youth group engaged her free time in a positive way and kept her away from peer pressure to join a gang. After participating in an initial community cleanup activity, she was asked to give her ideas on future group activities. The advisers liked her ideas and saw her potential as a leader. Volunteering once or twice a week and various weekends since starting with the Red Cross, Cruz estimates that she has racked up about 10,000 volunteering hours. The Youth Services team supports adult Red Cross volunteers with various activities, including baby sitting during blood drives, graffiti removal, and support during Red Cross training classes. Cruz later became involved in the Red Cross program known as the Leadership Development Center (LDC). The LDC, celebrating its 50th year in 1998, is a weeklong camp, open to high school students, providing both recreational fun and leadership skills. Cruz was both camper and counselor with the LDC. She credits the program with confidence building and life skills.

AGE: 21.

RESIDENCE: North Hills.

BORN AND RAISED IN: She was born in the Philippines and moved to North Hollywood in 1987.

OCCUPATION: Cruz is a full-time student at California State University, Northridge. Majoring in business, she works part time at a Tarzana bank.

MARITAL STATUS: Single.

VOLUNTEERISM: Cruz started her volunteering career at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. For almost five months, she did clerical work and helped the nursing staff before switching gears to join the Red Cross youth group. Cruz also volunteers her time for fund-raising events at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Sepulveda.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?: ``My parents thought that I was hanging around with a bad peer group when I was about 14. They thought I would be pressured and influenced by them. I had a lot of free time on my hands, too. My mother heard through a friend about the Red Cross youth group in Van Nuys.''

WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER?: ``I feel that I do something worthwhile, that my efforts aren't for nothing. Volunteering does make an impact on you. You grow as a person.''

BIGGEST DILEMMA: Cruz said that having enough time to do everything that she wants or needs to do is her biggest dilemma. ``It's a challenge to get my priorities straight. Sometimes I think I'm doing what I need to do first, but then I find out I should have done something else first.''

MOST DIFFICULT DAILY TASK: ``My most difficult task is when the alarm goes off and I have to get up for the day. I push the snooze button too often. It's my biggest struggle right now to get up when the alarm goes off.''

FAVORITE DAILY TASK: ``I look forward to being with my family. I enjoy sitting down and talking with my parents and my brothers.''

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: ``I'm amazed that people are still using stereotypes of people different from themselves and that racism still exists. We live in an age now where we are aware of a lot of cultures, and people still have backward ideas.''

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Cruz said that her greatest accomplishment so far is overcoming stage fright, which she accomplished by being on the speech and debate team at Granada Hills High School and speaking at Red Cross functions.

GOALS FOR THE FUTURE: Cruz is looking forward to graduating from CSUN next year. She plans to get an MBA and eventually a Ph.D. in business so she can teach at the university level. Currently active in helping fellow students at the Student Finance Association at CSUN, Cruz would like to continue volunteering in that area if she reaches her teaching goal.

WHO RELIES ON YOU THE MOST AND WHO YOU RELY ON: ``My parents rely on me, and I rely on my parents. We have a `give and take' relationship that works both ways. They involve me in major decisions at home and ask my advice on financial questions.''

ROLE MODELS: ``It may sound corny, but my role model is Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross. She lived through an era when it was difficult for women to have public success. I admire her courage and bravery.''

HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?: ``I'd have to say that I agree with the quote, `Success is a journey, not a destination.' Success for me is the process of getting to the end honestly, not by cheating your way to success.''

FAVORITE VALLEY HANGOUTS: Cruz likes the orange grove area at CSUN. ``It's kind of a hidden place, a nice place to go to read and have a picnic with my boyfriend.''

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Photo: Pia Cruz

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News