Kids & Family

Kensington Youth, Scott Gerson, Honored for Volunteer Service

A Kensington teen who has dedicated his time to volunteering for those with special needs since he was about 10 years old was recently honored with an award for his service.

Like many 16-year-old boys approaching their junior year of high school, Scott Gerson loves to play sports and is focused on researching colleges.

However, one thing sets Scott apart from his peers – his love for and dedication to volunteering for groups with developmental disabilities. 

He dedicates much of his time volunteering with the Special Olympics and was recently honored with a regional volunteer award from Seattle ice cream shop, Lovin’ Scoopful.

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According to the shop’s website, 25 percent of its profits are donated to the Special Olympics, and they honor one youth in the Mid-Atlantic, New England and West Coast regions with their “Lovin’ Award” each year, in addition to one national recipient.

Scott’s father, Jon Gerson, says his son was awarded with $250 from Lovin’ Scoopful that he can donate to the nonprofit organization of his choice, and Scott chose the Jubilee Association of Maryland, a Kensington organization that provides support to people with developmental disabilities.

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Scott has worked to provide support for those with special needs for the past seven years, according to Gerson. 

“I have always enjoyed working with people with intellectual or other developmental disabilities, and I feel that a lot can be learned from this population if we simply take the time to get to know them,” Scott said in a statement. “I chose to donate this money to Jubilee over all other organizations because I wanted to give back to the community, here in Kensington, where my work began.”

Scott was nominated for the award by Chass Seymour, a Special Olympics staff member, who, according to the Lovin’ Scoopful blog, says that Scott’s first passion is to always strive to be an “awesome human being and a role model for people of all ages and abilities.”

“He honestly embodies and portrays what all human beings should strive for,” Seymour said in the blog. 

Gerson says his son has worked to raise money for various other organizations, including over $1,000 for Camp PALS, a camp for young adults with Down Syndrome, where he spent a week working this summer. 

District 18 Delegate Al Carr said in a statement that he has known Scott almost all his life and called him a “wonderful example to other young people.”

“Helping out and volunteering makes me unique, and it's who I am,” Scott told the Washington Examiner. “I know it's the one thing that in 20 or 30 years I know I'm going to be most proud of, not the baseball or the girls or the parties or whatever. I want my life to be consumed with good memories of things like this.”


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