Youth Award

Joshua Morrisson

Joshua Morrisson, of Springfield, Virginia, has been described as an “all-round volunteer dynamo,” and he is the 2020 Youth recipient of a Fairfax County Park Authority Elly Doyle Park Service Awards. Morrisson was nominated to honor the service and contributions he has made to Hidden Pond Nature Center through a variety of volunteer roles.

Morrisson worked regular weekend volunteer shifts at the park, often filling in for others who were unable to work their shifts.

He was assigned to live exhibit care, which included feeding and cleaning of tanks.

During his Saturday shifts, he often led or co-led birthday party reptile talks and pond studies for the participants. He also performed light maintenance work, assisted with trail maintenance projects, and gave occasional impromptu reptile talks for visitors to the nature center. Aside from his regular duties, Morrisson also helped with summer camps, proving to be a responsible group leader.

In 2020 alone, the 14-year-old contributed more than 75 hours of service to Hidden Pond before the facility was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When site management began sending out calls for interest in returning to volunteering, Morrisson was one of the first to say he was ready to get back to volunteering and was scheduled to help with animal care and some programs.