An award symbolizing commitment and selflessness was bestowed upon seven students from the Community College of Baltimore County Extension Center Tuesday.

More than a dozen workers, family and friends gathered in the lobby at the Irvine Nature Center after lunch to present student volunteers in the Post Secondary Functional Academic Learning Support program, designed to help individuals with special needs gain job skills, with the annual Jeanne Baetjer Volunteer Award. While the crowd clapped, the students broke into smiles.

PSFALS instructor Cathy Fisher said the moment was appropriate.

Fisher has taught the program for almost six years, while instructional assistant Vince Johnson has helped out for almost four years.

"They really deserve it," she said. "They're a really good group."

Students from CCBC have volunteered at Irvine for the last six years, with work ranging from cleaning the exhibit halls and gardening to providing animal care and recycling, said Carin Smith, manager of volunteer services.

Volunteers like the ones from CCBC are a major part of the engine that keeps Irvine going, said Heather Wight, assistant volunteer organizer. Irvine is a private, non-profit environmental education institution that relies on contributions, grants and volunteers as major sources of funding and maintenance.

"And it helps provide encouragement," Wight said. "That they can do things and do them well."

The partnership between the PSFALS program and Irvine is meant to help students with special needs develop community living skills, Fisher said. More than anything, it helps them build a resume, she said.

One student said he was excited about being honored and might use his volunteer experience to do just that — find a job.

"It helps," Travon Camp said. "We can take it to jobs we might get in the future."

The names of the students honored Tuesday are: Travon Camp, Davonne Simon, J.D. Jordan, David Lilley, Brittney Sparrow, Iesha McDowell and Chazz Lamb.