Winners exemplify standards of excellence in enhancing life for individuals living with disabilities
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Governor's Council on Disability (GCD) has selected the award winner and honorable mention of the 30th Annual Inclusion Award and the 9th Annual Youth Leadership Award.
The Inclusion Award and Honorable Mention are presented annually to recognize private and public employers, individuals, and organizations that have successfully included people with disabilities in education, employment, housing, leisure activities, universal design and website accessibility.
The annual Youth Leadership Award and Honorable Mention are presented to recognize an outstanding Missouri youth (age 16-26) with a disability that has demonstrated exemplary leadership by making a difference in their community.
2021 Inclusion Award winner: Summit Future Foundation, Kansas City
Summit Future Foundation empowers youth and young adults who experience developmental disabilities to lead meaningful and inclusive lives by providing daily living skills development, social and recreational participation, youth transition planning, work readiness development, and workforce engagement. The foundation’s focus on broadening community outreach has enhanced inclusive practices in Kansas City and increased the number of Kansas City based businesses who provide inclusive employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.
Honorable Mention: Chill-Pak, Springfield
Chill-Pak is a small, disability-owned, woman-owned business focused on two priorities – providing the best products and services for its customers, and providing an inclusive, supportive work environment for its employees. Chill-Pak prides itself for its inclusive and diverse workforce at all levels of the company while celebrating and supporting individual abilities for the benefit of the employees, products, customers and the community.
2021 Youth Leadership Award winner: Seyoon Choi
Seyoon Choi is a junior at St. Louis University (SLU) majoring in Social Work. He serves as the co-chair of the National Association of Blind Students’ (NABS) communications committee and is the producer of the NABS podcast. He also works as a research assistant in the Chrome Lab on SLU’s campus. In his spare time, Choi creates educational tutorials for the public on his YouTube channel, Blind Insider.
Honorable Mention: TyReeke Garnett
TyReeke Garnett attends high school and holds two part-time jobs. He has been a LifeBridge Partnership participant since 2012 and a Program Support Assistant since 2020. Starting out as a camp counselor in training, he quickly advanced to being a paid camp counselor. Garnett demonstrates a desire for learning and leadership and a passion for providing direct supports for his peers by encouraging independence, leading activities, and being a role model.
The awards will be presented to the winners at the Power Up Assistive Technology Conference & Expo in Blue Springs on April 5, 2022.
For additional information, please contact the GCD at 573-751-2600 or via e-mail at gcd@oa.mo.gov.