Veteran Sports Business Executive and Sports Agent Joins YouthServ Academy Staff

Don West, Jr. to serve as Executive Director and Director of Athletics

Port St. Lucie, FL- (August 19, 2022) — YouthServ Academy, Inc. (YouthServ Academy), a new private school that is welcoming its initial ninth grade cohort later this month, has named Don West, Jr. as the new Executive Director and Director of Athletics. West will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day activities of the Academy and spearheading YouthServ’s special projects and strategic partnerships. West will report to the Board of Directors and work side-by-side with Board Chairman and YouthServ founder L’Quincy Pryor.

“I am super excited to be joining the leadership team at YouthServ Academy,” West said. “The YouthServ vision is to provide our students a unique immersive environment complimented by wraparound support services seeking to ensure each child who matriculates through our program leaves set with the tools to be fully engage and self-sustaining citizens no matter where their post-YouthServ journey takes them,” West stated. “Students will be infused with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and our goal is to have every student develop a vocational skill or academic certification to carry with them into the job marketplace,” West added.

“The opportunities to expose our students to emerging technologies like the block-chain, non-fungible token (“NFT”) applications and cryptocurrencies as well as cutting-edge best practices in philanthropy and community building will set the YouthServ experience apart from the most prestigious of institutions,” West shared. “There is so much innovation and positive energy coalescing on the campus of Indian River State College (IRSC). IRSC is a little-known collegiate diving powerhouse setting and breaking its own records in the sport of diving with a historic 92- combined men’s and women’s NJCAA Diving Championships. Additionally, USA Diving has moved its headquarters and training center to the Port St. Lucie campus and its no secret that Joe Torre’s (of NY Yankees fame) nephew, Frank Torre, Jr., is the head coach for the men’s baseball program at IRSC. These highlights emphasize the type of dynamic “first-in-class” environment our students will be surrounded by, and these are the types of exposures that move the needle in a young person’s matriculation experience.

“Don’s professional background includes over 25 years of experience working with legends in sports and industry pioneers in business, entertainment and politics bringing the kind of well-rounded experience and relationships that will prove to be a incomparable asset to our students,” Pryor said.

“In our ongoing collaboration with IRSC, YouthServ has several exciting developments in the works, and Don’s ability and instincts will be an integral part of the success of those initiatives.” West’s career highlights include serving as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Miami Law School teaching a course in Athletics & The Law. Working as a sports attorney and athlete agent, West served as the Director of Football Operations at Steinberg, Moorad & Dunn in Newport Beach, California and later founded Revolution Sports Management based in Miami, Florida. West diverse career also includes a stint as Chief of Staff for former Florida State Senator and Florida Gubernatorial Candidate, Daryl L. Jones, Esq.

According to Pryor, “YouthServ’s commitment to the mentorship of its students, developing career oriented soft-skills, and the focus on immersive learning opportunities is what initially draws the attention of many parents who have enrolled their children in the new school.” Pryor explained, “YouthServ actually began over fifteen years ago as an after-school mentoring program here on the Treasure Coast. Our mentoring program has sent dozens of young people onto colleges and universities who have graduated and begun their careers; YouthServ even has a couple of engineers who are alumni from the program.”

About YouthServ Academy

Located on the main campus of Indian River State College (IRSC) in Port St. Lucie, Florida, YouthServ Academy is a 9–12 grade private high school that provides an alternative learning environment for parents and students who wish to pursue a more engaging, more enriching, and more demanding educational experience. YouthServ Academy works hand-in-hand with local businesses and communities to provide students with real-world experiences that they can learn from and take with them when they graduate. Nothing is more important than working with our students to instill strong values, work ethic, integrity, and passion in everything they do. At YouthServ, the mission is simple — an endless focus on making the learning environment the best it can be. Through programs, partnerships, and community engagement, staff work to provide a comprehensive learning experience for students, where they learn the core curriculum, pursue their sport of choice and pursue career interests. www.YouthServ.org

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CONTACT PERSON:

L’Quincy Pryor, YouthServ Academy, Inc.

772–404–1003 | lpryor@youthserv.org

Two Queens Media
P.O. Box 701012
Wabasso, FL 32970

Trenice J. Brinkley
pr@twoqueens.media