The caring employees of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office have once again stepped up to the plate to help someone in need.
The Sheriff’s Office received a letter from the Maryland Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch in August requesting assistance with the last semester of college tuition for Ryand Smith, who lived at the Ranch for eight years. Smith previously funded his college through scholarships and loans and by working. He worked during the school year part-time on campus with Student Activities. During the summer, Smith worked part-time at Footlocker and for two years, full-time at East Alco.
When East Alco was hit with layoffs, he came back to the Ranch and worked as a full-time counselor. Even with the help of scholarships and grants, Smith was unable to raise the last $1,500 he needed to complete his last semester of college and earn his accounting degree at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore where he holds a 3.3 GPA and is a member of Sigma Beta Delta National Honor Society and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He and the Youth Ranch then contacted the Sheriff’s Office because of the past support its employees have provided the Ranch and its residents.
In just a few short weeks CCSO employees contributed $1,400 to Smith’s college fund. Sheriff Davis and the Human Resources Section, which coordinated the effort, presented Smith and Mark Grover, executive director of the Youth Ranch, with the contribution Aug. 15.
Smith is the first person who has grown up at the Ranch to attend college since its formation in 1976. He plans to attend graduate school after graduation next year.
The mission of the Maryland Sheriffs' Youth Ranch (MSYR) is to provide disadvantaged and at-risk youth with guidance and support in a healthy, safe, and supportive residential setting. The Youth Ranch is a 24-hour foster-care facility for males between the ages of 10 and 18. More information is available at http://www.msyr.org/ .