Sandy Kievman

The sure way for kids to stay out of trouble, says Sandy Kievman, is to keep them busy. So five years ago Kievman, a former social worker from West Hills, created a sports program called Keep Youth Doing Something. It targets youngsters from low-income families who live in high-crime areas and may be at risk of joining gangs. "There was a tremendous need in the Valley for such an activity for teenagers," Kievman said.

The sure way for kids to stay out of trouble, says Sandy Kievman, is to keep them busy. So five years ago Kievman, a former social worker from West Hills, created a sports program called Keep Youth Doing Something. It targets youngsters from low-income families who live in high-crime areas and may be at risk of joining gangs. "There was a tremendous need in the Valley for such an activity for teenagers," Kievman said.

When former City Councilwoman Joy Picus and her staff moved out of their offices last week, the future of the West Valley's largest private, nonprofit gang intervention program became unclear. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS), a program that provides nearly 200 at-risk youth with sports, dancing and other social activities, is the brainchild of Picus' former aide Sandy Kievman, who coordinated it from her office in Reseda for several years.

The Deering Business Watch, a Canoga Park anti-crime group, is sponsoring a field trip to the Merle Norman museum in Sylmar on Saturday for about 50 at-risk teen-agers. Byron Matson, curator of the Merle Norman Cosmetics Classic Beauty Collection, a museum of antique cars, furniture and musical instruments, said he is planning to make some allowances for teen-agers who do not meet the museum's formal dress code--a code which bans, for example, blue jeans.

Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) is gearing up for two summer softball leagues for 13- to 18-year-olds from low-income families and those at risk of becoming involved in gangs. Starting next week, games will be held at 7 Friday nights at Reseda Park, 18411 Victory Blvd., with a party afterward, including food and, possibly, dancing until about 10 p.m., said Sandy Kievman, an aide to Los Angeles City Councilwoman Joy Picus.

Seeking to prevent teenage pregnancies and the cycle of poverty that often results, a nonprofit organization has launched a program to offer at-risk girls a way out. The program, "Las Amigas," will be based at Lanark Park in Canoga Park and be run by the nonprofit organization Keep Youth Doing Something, or KYDS. Las Amigas will provide education and counseling to about 15 girls, focusing primarily on pregnancy prevention, said Sandy Kievman, executive director of KYDS.

Neil, a Chatsworth High School senior, learned on Thursday what it takes to be a carpenter. Ramon, a Canoga Park High 10th-grader, found out about cable television. The two students were among those "at risk" teenagers who were treated to a day in the business world to give them goals to strive for in life.

Concerned that the controversial Proposition 187 would damage their community for years to come, a group of Latino activists in Canoga Park called a town hall meeting to discuss the measure. Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block will be among the speakers at the forum, to be held Tuesday from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 22021 Gault St. in Canoga Park.

An unavoidable side effect of the electoral process is that pet projects are often jeopardized when veteran officeholders are defeated. Unfortunately, the KYDS program, the west San Fernando Valley's largest private nonprofit gang intervention effort, faces just such a situation.

Mayor Richard Riordan says the city could use a little free help from its friends. The mayor announced the creation of a city Volunteer Bureau to provide greater opportunities for Angelenos to donate their labor. "The bureau will help us kindle the spirit of generosity that shines all year long, illuminating hope throughout Los Angeles," Riordan said Friday.

Teen-agers from five San Fernando Valley high schools sampled college life for one morning as Pierce College officials sought to teach them the how-tos of continuing their education. The visit was arranged by the nonprofit softball group Keep Youth Doing Something, or KYDS, which started as a youth league aimed at keeping crime out of local parks but now offers a range of athletic and guidance activities for at-risk teen-agers.