A volunteer from the Sam Houston Area Council and a volunteer from the Heart of America Council have been named by the Scouting America National Special Needs and Disabilities Committee as the 2025 recipients of the Woods Services Award, presented to Scouters for their outstanding service to Scouts with special needs.
Alyssa Hightower serves as the National Special Needs and Disabilities Committee program vice chair and the Disabilities Awareness Committee vice chair for the Sam Houston Area Council and is also the co-lead of the Access and Inclusion Committee for the 2027 World Scout Jamboree in Poland.
She has served on Scouting America’s National Special Needs and Disabilities Committee since 2019, including her current role as vice chair of program.
“I am extremely humbled to receive the Woods Service Award,” Hightower says. “If not for the support of my family, friends and Scouting friends, I would not be doing all that I am. I feel very honored to be recognized for my service to Scouting and honestly want to thank all the people in my life who have made this possible.”
Ken Albers, an Eagle Scout and Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow, has served for more than two decades as chaplain at Rotary Scout Camp, the Heart of America Council property that offers a long-term Scout camp experience to Scouting America members with special needs who otherwise would not be able to participate in a traditional long-term camp. Albers is also a deacon for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph.
“Working with Scouts of all levels of ability was something I grew up with naturally,” Albers says. “My Scout leaders ingrained in me that everyone has gifts and talents. They gave us a chance to find ours and use them as best we could.”
You can read more about Hightower and Albers on pages 7 and 8 of the spring 2025 issue of Abilities Digest, the newsletter produced by the National Special Needs and Disabilities Committee.
What is the Woods Services Award?
The Woods Services Award is a national-level recognition for volunteer adults who provide outstanding service to Scouts with special needs. Recipients must be currently registered as a member of Scouting America and have three or more years of service in any Scouting capacity related to Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA or Venturers with disabilities.
Recipients are selected by the National Special Needs and Disabilities Committee and presented by Woods Services, a nonprofit based in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, dedicated to the advocacy and service of people with exceptional challenges, disabilities and complex needs.
The organization was founded in 1913 as Woods Schools. The Woods Services Award was created in 1978 in the memory of Luther Wellington Lord, who served as a residential supervisor for more than 23 years at Woods Schools, during which he founded and coordinated a Scouting program connected to the organization.
Each council may nominate one Scouter for the award each year. Nominations must be sent by January 31 to be considered for the year’s selection.
Click to learn more about the history of the award and the nomination process.
How Scouting America serves youth with disabilities
The basic premise of Scouting for youth with disabilities and special needs is that they want to participate in activities like other youth — and Scouting gives them that opportunity.
“Unfortunately, in many aspects of their lives, youth with special needs or disabilities still face barriers and often don’t get the same opportunities as their typical peers,” Hightower says. “Scouting has a moral imperative and a unique capacity to bridge this gap.
“By consistently striving to serve Scouts of all abilities, Scouting America fulfills its highest purpose. We’re not just offering a program. We’re offering a lifeline of opportunity, belonging and empowerment that helps all youth navigate life’s challenges and discover their inherent worth regardless of their starting point.”
Albers says he still draws inspiration from his late father, who lost his sight in a series of accidents in 1926 when he was 5 years old, and from scripture. Both have inspired him to continue to serve Scouts with special needs.
“I saw what my father could do in a sighted world as a blind man,” Albers says. “The Woods Services Award parallels what I quickly discovered as a young, 22-year-old Scoutmaster: Every Scout deserves a chance to do their best, which looks differently for each one of us.
“Duty to God seems to be a common thread through it all.”
The Inclusion Toolbox is Scouting America’s primary tool for guidance on serving Scouts with special needs and disabilities.
Bookmark this site, as it is updated regularly.
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