Lakewood Ranch High School senior recognized by state Department of Education as outstanding volunteer

BRADENTON -- A Lakewood Ranch High student has been recognized by the Florida Department of Education as an outstanding volunteer.

Jonathan Gambino, a 19-year-old senior, was recognized for his service to Nolan Middle School -- his former middle school -- by the Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart on Thursday. Outstanding volunteers are broken down by age group and by geographic region. Jonathan was awarded as the student volunteer for Region IV.

"It was amazing," said Deborah Perry-Gambino, Jonathan's mother and a community engagement specialist for the school district. "He blows me away every day."

He blows away Nolan Middle assistant principal Tamara Cornwell, too, she said.

"I wish I could hire him here at this point," she said.

Each year, the district sends a student, adult and senior volunteer nominee to the state for consideration. Manatee's adult nominee is Tess Chawi, who volunteers at Manatee High, and the senior nominee is Bonnie Carlton, who volunteers at Myakka Elementary School.

Jonathan has learned new technology skills in middle school and has been volunteering to help teach students about enhancement and display designs. During the summer, he helped prepare the technology lab at Nolan Middle School for incoming students. After high school, Jonathan plans to attend State College of Florida for two years for his prerequisite classes before finishing up at a four-year school. He would like to become a technology and engineering teacher.

At the school, Jonathan has put in countless hours, Cornwell said, including packing up then unpacking the technology lab virtually by himself over the summer.

"It's more than just the hours," Cornwell said. "This is his life."

In middle school, he taught himself different technologies and worked with his peers to help them learn. Now in high school, he works with the younger students still at Nolan. He's also volunteered teaching technology at summer camps and the South Florida Museum.

The interest comes from within, Perry-Gambino said.

"He taught a lot of it to himself," she said. "I don't know where he gets it from."

The Manatee County School Board will honor Jonathan and the other volunteers at an upcoming school board meeting.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter @MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 11:12 PM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch High School senior recognized by state Department of Education as outstanding volunteer ."