JA 18 Under 18
SCOTT PAWLEY
Scott has a cousin with autism and saw how hard it was for the family to get their son the services he needed. Understanding these barriers, Scott created the Knott CARES (Catholic Academic Resource Enrichment Scholarship) scholarship to support low-income students with learning differences enrolled in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Special Education and Inclusion programs in elementary and middle schools. He raised almost the entire $75,000 endowment by speaking in churches, holding fundraisers, and through a letter-writing campaign during lockdown. He secured a donation from Google that opened the door to further corporate donors. Ten families have already benefited from partial scholarships. He used his enterprising talents to expand a community book drive and is a leader in his Boy Scout troop, working toward becoming an Eagle Scout.
“Scott has never met a challenge that he did not believe he could overcome, and he is driven by a personal belief in the intrinsic value of serving others.” —Marc Parisi, nominator