I grew up in Spokane and was the youngest of nine kids in my family. It was great because you were never short of playmates or people you could count on. Growing up I ran a Christmas tree stand when I was a kid and I remember recruiting my friends to work for me. Being responsible for a business at a young age was a great experience. It taught me a lot and was a great feeling. I felt mature, productive and proud as I watched the business grow, the business is still going strong and is run by my brother now. After I graduated from Gonzaga Prep I moved to Boston and where I began my studies at Boston College.

Having grown up in the Northwest, I instantly noticed the total lack of good coffee in Boston. So I went with my brother Larry and I drove across the country with a coffee cart in the bed of a pickup truck and set up a coffee business in Boston.

By the time I graduated college, the business I started with that little cart had grown into four coffee stands, located in hospitals, banks and department stores. Once again I felt the immense pride and feeling of ownership that came with building a business.

Now that I have a family, I think about my children’s’ futures, and how I want them to have the same opportunities that I did when I was young. I think that one of the biggest issues facing today’s youth is the economic outlook. The youth of today need to feel like they will be able to achieve their dreams if they work hard, but the current economy has taken a big toll on everyone’s hope for the future.

For the past several years I have volunteered on the board of Morning Star Boys Ranch. It has been deeply rewarding at times as we work with kids who have been raised in very difficult circumstances and with our help and guidance have a better outlook for their future. It is crucial that young people have a safety net like Morning Star and other great organizations to pick up the pieces when it feels like no one else cares.

Addressing the issues affecting today’s youth is critically important because the early years can set the trajectory for the rest of a person’s life. Giving our youth the tools to succeed will ensure strong communities in the future.

An article in the Inlander this year said that in the Spokane Public School District, only 65% of the class of 2009 graduated. This is one of the most pressing issues facing our youth today.

Encouraging organizations that give young people a safe place to go, and which give them role models are vital to helping young people succeed. Young people today need to feel that they can achieve their dreams and they need to have the opportunity to succeed and build their self-worth.