21-year-old Jacob Gehringer received the National Down Syndrome Society's Self Advocate of the Year Champion of Change Award at the annual Buddy Walk in Washington, DC on April 5th.
More than 300 people from across the country gathered together for the event. Their mission is to advocate for legislative priorities that positively impact the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families.
Gehringer is in his 3rd year of vocational training at Papillion-La Vista Community schools to become a pre-school aid. He plans to graduate this May.
KMTV has done stories on Gehringer in the past. He was voted Homecoming King his senior year at Papillion-La Vista South High School in 2013.
In 2014, he traveled to Washington, DC to bring awareness to the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act.
He said in a news release, "The ABLE Act will allow me to earn and save for my future without being afraid of losing my disability support services and benefits. In my home state of Nebraska I am an Enable Ambassador and worked to promote ABLE accounts to better the lives and future of people with disabilities. I speak publicly to raise awareness that people with different abilities have value and can contribute to their community."
3 News Now's Shawnte Passmore recently reported for our "In the Classroom" series that the Special Olympics had declared Papillion-La Vista South a "National Unified Champion School." Timothy Shriver came to the school to celebrate the honor.
