A Close-up Look at People who Matter : Taking World by Storm Is Her Specialty

Eight years ago, when most kids in her neighborhood were probably taking piano lessons or at soccer practice, 8-year-old Yvonne Gilon was taking her two dogs to children’s hospitals and convalescent homes, trying to cheer up patients.

Today, at age 16, when many of her peers are pondering high school proms and report cards, the Cal State Northridge freshman is putting together a team of doctors, attorneys and business leaders for a 12-prong program to save young America called Operation Domestic Storm.

In the eight years in between, Gilon has completed a mind-blurring list of service and leadership projects.

At age 13, she so impressed the Society of Women Engineers with a science project that they paid her way to NASA-run U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala., where she captained the space shuttle Atlantis on a simulated trip to the moon.

During the Gulf War, Gilon started support groups in her San Juan Capistrano school for families of soldiers stationed there, organized the shipment of care packages and about 3,000 letters to U.S. forces, and gathered some cheerleader buddies to make a videotape for soldiers.

“It’s just a great feeling, knowing you’re helping others,” she said.

She’s been named Ambassador of Goodwill for her hometown of San Juan Capistrano, Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation Ambassador, Miss National Teen Business Leader of America, spokeswoman for NASA’s space camp and was listed in Who’s Who in America.

She collects titles like some people collect matchbooks.

After graduating valedictorian from Capistrano Valley High School this summer at age 16, Gilon started at CSUN in September and within weeks was taking the lead in campus organizations.

It is in her role as campus community service director that she hopes to launch Operation Domestic Storm.

The program would call on professionals and volunteers to educate youths on the importance of education, history, politics, the environment, and cultural and AIDS awareness.

Her idea is to start the program’s 12 projects at CSUN and then expand it to area high schools. She’s already sent letters to 95 high school administrators asking them to encourage students to visit the campus and comment on the projects.

The first project Gilon plans to work on is recruiting volunteers as mentors who can show teen-agers that education is the key to success.

“I want students to take pride in their country and look at their world as future leaders,” she said.

Gilon also wants to help students combat negative peer pressure through counseling. She wants to create a 24-hour telephone hot line, with professional counselors and peers standing by to help teen-agers.

“When you’re a teen-ager, you have so many problems, and you can share them with a professional or someone who’s your own age who you can identify with,” she said.

Gilon hopes her project won’t end with local schools. She wants Operation Domestic Storm to go national.

“If people see we’re doing such a great thing for the community, it’s going to stir up a lot of interest,” she said.

She’s already trying to capture the interest of the White House. Why not, she asked, have President Clinton start his national service project--which would allow college students to pay for tuition through community service--at CSUN?

She’s sent letters outlining her projects to Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Shellie Smith, activities coordinator in the office of campus activities, is working with Gilon to fit the program to campus needs and facilities.

“If she can get it accomplished, that’s incredible,” Smith said. “I think if anyone can get it going, she can.”