I have always been interested in bettering my community and being engaged with service, that is why prior to participating in the Congressional Award I completed 500 hours of service, by volunteering in my community and working with several local and national political campaigns since I was 10 years old. When I enrolled in the Congressional Award program I started working towards the required 400 hours to get the Congressional Award Gold Medal.

I volunteered for the local community by visiting the homeless shelter, senior home, working at the American Red Cross, and in my church. I am a person with a disability and I want people to know that with hard work anyone can be successful. I have become more confident and interested in learning new things and helping people. During the summers I volunteered to work at the American Red Cross for people with disabilities. I volunteered at the American Red Cross of Northern Virginia and was selected to participate in the Virginia State Steering Committee, Self-Advocacy Mobilization, and Partnership for People with Disabilities, in Richmond, Virginia. In addition, I was selected to give a speech about my life, at The American Red Cross of Virginia State Convention, in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2009.

I graduated from Potomac High School in 2007 and worked at the Pentagon for one year after high school. I was accepted into the George Mason University in the Mason Life program for students with Intellectual Disabilities. I have served my community by letting people know and see that anything is possible for people with disabilities. I will graduate in May 2012. I also work part time at the Library of Congress, and hope to get a full time job there. My family is very proud of me and my accomplishments. My family and community consider me a role model. They know that anybody can be successful in life if they work hard with the right support. I have come a long way from being the boy who some people said would not do well in life because of my disability. I am very proud to be getting the Congressional Gold Medal this year. I hope to inspire other people with disabilities to participate in the program.

~Darryl Edward Gray
2012 Gold Medalist