Darryl Strawberry to Speak at DYS Graduation

6/15/2011 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

 
Youth completing Division of Youth Services programs in the northeast region will have a special treat at their graduation ceremony at William Woods University Darryl StrawberryFriday— home-run legend Darryl Strawberry will be their commencement speaker.

Approximately 50 young people between the ages of 16 and 19 who have completed their high school graduation requirements or their GED will participate in the ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m. in Dulany Auditorium at William Woods University.  The graduates include five young women from the Rosa Parks Center, which is located on the WWU campus.
 
The graduation ceremony is not open to the public due to limited seating.
 
The Division of Youth Services (DYS) is the state agency charged with the care and treatment of youth in its custody. DYS services include assessment, care and treatment and education.
 
Strawberry has faced legal and personal problems of his own, including battles with cancer and cocaine. However, a quote appears on his website that sums up what Strawberry is all about today: “The bat is retired, the spikes are in the box, but the true purpose for my life is just beginning.”
 
He has set up the Darryl Strawberry Foundation, he says, because “I have a heart for people, especially those who are faced with conditions, situations or battles in their lives that often bring a deep sense of hopelessness to the soul.”
                                                           
During his 17-year career, he helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship in 1986 and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
 
Strawberry and a representative of DYS will be available for interviews at the conclusion of the graduation, which is expected to take about 90 minutes.
                                               
For more information, contact Larry Strecker, regional administrator, Missouri Division of Youth Services, at 573-449-2939 orLawrence.strecker@dss.mo.gov.