Commissioner McDonough Becomes SPYS Board Chair

Our County Commissioner, Jim McDonough, is the new chair of the St. Paul Youth Services (SPYS) Board of Directors. Jim's father died when he was 13 and he says he benefited from the adults from among his extended family and friends who provided guidance as he continued to adulthood. When he was 25, he became a volunteer youth worker at Phalen Recreation Center, holding kids accountable for their behavior. Kids might not show how much they benefit from the positive influences of such caring adults, but they will benefit, just as he did, he said.

Commissioner McDonough joined the SPYS board in 2003 to provide him with a new setting for making positive differences in the lives of young people who need caring adults in their lives. The mission of the SPYS is to redirect youth who are starting to get in trouble with family, school or the law.

SPYS finds its home in our district and has programs that train adults who encounter youth with challenging behaviors and other programs that intervene with youth in middle schools to improve their classroom behavior, attendance and grades. SPYS is dedicated to improving the lives of young people. You can find SPYS on Wilson Avenue, just across the street from the SunRay Library.

Thanks to Jim for his service as SPYS Board Chair. We have a tradition of our local leaders serving on the SPYS board. Council President Kathy Lantry also serves on the board, as does our Saint Paul Public School liaison, Keith Hardy.

Submitted by SPYS