By Mike Matzinger
Eagle Scout Jarrett James Lash, an alum of Troop 671 in Nokesville, Virginia, has been appointed as the 14th Youth Observer to the United Nations by the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA).
Lash’s yearlong appointment begins this week as he heads to New York City to participate in the landmark 80th United Nations General Assembly. There, he will represent the voices of young Americans, working alongside world leaders and youth delegates on pressing issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and global cooperation.
For Lash, the journey to the UN began long before his professional career—as a Scout. He earned his Eagle Scout rank in 2015, leading a service project that created an outdoor classroom at T. Clay Wood Elementary School in Nokesville. His time in Troop 671 included serving as Senior Patrol Leader, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, and being inducted into the Order of the Arrow. These Scouting experiences, he says, built the foundation for his leadership and service mindset.
Today, Lash serves as Township Planner for Upper Merion Township in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, the largest employment hub in the Philadelphia region outside of Center City. An AICP-certified planner, he specializes in land use, sustainability, and public engagement—work that mirrors Scouting’s emphasis on stewardship and civic responsibility.
UNA-USA Executive Director Rachel Bowen Pittman praised the appointment: “His exceptional academic record and his dedication to youth engagement and housing make him an ideal representative to connect American youth with the important work of the United Nations. We look forward to seeing him elevate youth voices in the global policy dialogue.”
The Youth Observer program selects one American each year, between ages 18 and 25, to serve as a bridge between U.S. youth and the UN. In this role, Lash will travel nationwide to engage young Americans in conversations about global priorities, while also serving as a youth delegate at UN conferences.
Scouts and Scouting alumni will have the chance to engage with Lash directly, jarrett.unyouthobserver AT gmail.com. Troops, councils, and alumni associations can request that he deliver a talk—virtually or in person—about youth priorities and the United States’ relationship with the United Nations.
