A state legislator Friday honored Sue Reynolds of Santa Clarita Valley’s high school district as Volunteer of the Month for the 17th state Senate District.

State Senator Fran Pavley recognized Reynolds for her work with numerous SCV nonprofit organizations, including: the Boy Scouts of America; the SCV Domestic Violence Center; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; Circle of Hope; the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce; and Soroptimist International of the Americas.

“Thank you for making my job so difficult,” joked Dusty Russell, representative for Pavley, alluding to the selection process for the award and a nod to the countless nominees from which Pavley and staff ultimately select a winner. “You really are one in a million.”

Russell presented the recognition to Reynolds in front of the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley’s offices at the Savia Center in Newhall.

For her day job, Reynolds works to develop career opportunity and awareness as part of the of the Career & College Readiness Department at the William S. Hart Union High School District, which oversees the education of more than 22,000 public junior and senior high school students. The program concentrates on creating pathways and utilizing resources that prepare students to develop the academic and employability skills for the careers of tomorrow.

Reynolds has worked with and  mentored area high school students for years, having participated in developing career curriculum for VIA’s Connecting 2 Success that began with the SCV School & Business Alliance and Junior Achievement, as well as COC Career Center and Worksource (now America’s Job Center).

However, Reynolds has also served as Soroptimist president, and board president for the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley, and was praised Friday for not only her volunteerism, but her ability to use those efforts to coalesce nonprofits and create new community partnerships.

An example of Reynolds’ day of volunteering can include meetings about empowering strategies to teach vulnerable teen girls as an organizer and speaker at the Soroptimist Dream It, Be It Conference — and then later that same day meeting with COC-USC veterans resources as part of a groundbreaking new collaborative to help those returning from service… then being deployed with her search dog by the Sheriff’s Department that night.

Reynolds is also a certified first-responder (Wilderness First Aid / American Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder), under Cal-EMA, CA Rescue Dog Assn. and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“Sue’s leadership and ability to collaborate with so many different groups within the Santa Clarita Valley community has been an invaluable asset to the center,” said Linda Davies, Domestic Violence Center executive director. “Her drive and passion have been indispensable for the nonprofit.”