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Paramount describes Youth Activities League; city to continue support as Youth Foundation assumes oversight
Summary
Deputy Myra Aguilar and staff told the council the Youth Activities League serves ages 7–17, averages 40–60 daily participants (58 currently enrolled) and relies on a regional JJCPA grant plus a $12,500 city contribution; the Youth Foundation will assume administrative and financial oversight beginning fiscal year 2026–27.
The Paramount City Council heard a presentation on Feb. 24, 2026 about the Youth Activities League (YAL), an after‑school program for at‑risk youth that the city operates in partnership with the Sheriff's Youth Foundation and the Los Angeles County Probation Department.
Management analyst Daniel Azares told council the Paramount YAL has operated since 2021, is housed at Spani Park and is funded by a regional competitive grant (the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act, JJCPA) with local support. The Sheriff's Youth Foundation pays three‑quarters of the dedicated YAL deputy's salary and provides program resources; the city manages the grant, pays the remaining quarter of the deputy's salary and allocates $12,500 from the General Fund for expenses the grant does not cover.
Deputy Myra Aguilar, the program manager, described the YAL as a year‑round resource that runs Monday through Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. She said the program usually averages "40 to 60" participants a day and that "right now, I actually have 58 participants enrolled." Aguilar outlined staffing (a deputy on site, a program leader, an academic adviser, a fitness coach and a monthly life‑skills coach), transportation procedures for volunteer excursions, and a mix of educational and recreational outings meant to broaden participants' experiences.
Azares also said the Sheriff's Youth Foundation has notified the city that it will begin administrative and financial oversight of the Paramount YAL starting in fiscal year 2026–27 (beginning July 1). City staff said the city will continue to house the program at Spani Park and to provide office and storage space for the deputy.
Council members praised the program's work and asked about capacity and wait lists. Staff said recent cohorts have varied by age; the previous cohort included older youth and a wait list, while the current cohort is younger and has room for enrollment up to the program cap (staff cited a maximum of about 80 participants). Officials encouraged residents to contact the substation for enrollment information.
What happens next: staff will continue coordinating with the Sheriff's Youth Foundation and the Probation Department as administrative oversight transitions, and will provide additional program information to the council and public as needed.
