The Punta Gorda Police Department recognized five Charlotte County students on Thursday, December 3rd, 2015, for doing the right thing. The students from Charlotte High school, Community Christian, Mayakka River Elementary and Lemon Bay High schools were recognized for their good deeds.
Maria Robinson was the first one honored. Maria is a twelfth grader at the Community Christian School and the daughter of Jennifer Robinson.
The person nominating Maria had this to say: I would like to honor Maria Robinson from Community Christian School, a pleasant young lady who loves and serves the Lord with her whole heart. I have known her since she was an infant and she is a very beautiful person both on the inside and outside. She is very trustworthy, honest, has integrity and is very reliable. Maria is a very active young lady in her church and at school. She is an example for her peers, a lead soloist on the youth choir, a Praise Singer, plays the keyboard and teaches Sign Language. She enjoys social events and is always willing to help clean up whenever needed. She is very outgoing and has a passion for children and the elderly, which is very extraordinary for a person her age. She likes to visit sick people who are in the hospital and those who are shut-in at home. Maria is always nursing sick children and making sure that they are well cared for. On many occasions, she helps to deliver food to the elderly and offer her assistance and support wherever they need help. She loves to bake and deliver to those who are hungry even if she has to use her moma’s money to purchase the items. She always wears a smile through rough times. To sum it up, I have never seen a young person who loves children and the elderly with such passion. She has a unique quality which I truly admire.
We have already heard that Maria loves to be involved in various musical activities at her church and that she loves to bake. In addition, in her spare time Maria loves to play volleyball, softball, soccer and be involved in cheerleading. We are told that Maria’s goals are to become a pediatrician. With the compassion you have, we at Do the Right Thing are positive that Maria will be an excellent doctor.
Our next December recipient is Ana Rosado. Ana is a ninth grade Charlotte High Student and is the daughter of Kelly and Louis Rosado.
Ana is described as a caring young leader in her nomination. Over the last few years her dedication to helping others has grown. From simple things like holding the door open for others at stores, to donating a portion of her savings to different charities, Ana has a heart of gold. She is currently a volunteer, doing community hours for school and working with the kindergarten and first graders at New Operation Cooper Street. Ana attended NOCS’s after school program from the time she was in kindergarten and understands the importance to give back to an organization that helped her. She is always donating countless hours to help fundraise for NOCS, most recently at the Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast last month. Ana continues to show her growth in leadership within community involvement.
Ana, thank you for putting others before your own needs and pleasures. Our society benefits whenever someone takes the time to try to make the lives of others better through their beliefs and actions.
Our next young lady honored was Eloise Williams. Eloise is an eleventh grader at Charlotte High School and the daughter of Christine and Lester Williams.
Eloise was recognized for her honesty. A trait we all love to see in our young citizens. Her teacher had this to say: Eloise found a bag under her seat that had three very expensive cameras in it that was left by a student in my previous class. Eloise could have kept it, but she immediately turned it in so that I could locate the student and return the cameras. The owner of the cameras didn’t even realize that she had forgotten them in class.
Honesty is something that always makes me feel good. I only wish we could pass on your characteristics to all of the students in the county.
Eloise is a member of the Junior Charlotte Leadership program and mentors students in math. She loves art and music. She is also active in the Charlotte High Key Club, She is the Junior Class Parliamentarian for the student government and assists the wrestling team by recording stats. She was also on the Homecoming Court for the junior class.
The next young lady to receive recognition this month was Maggie Shakan. Maggie is a third grader in the Mayakka Elementary school and is the daughter of Elizabeth and Kenneth Shakan.
Here is what we were told on Maggie’s nomination: Maggie is an extremely kind-hearted student. She goes above and beyond the norm in caring for her classmates and school. There is one student in particular she makes sure has everything they need and are ready for the school day to begin. This classmate of hers is a special needs student. Maggie has a caring demeanor with him. Maggie goes the extra mile to work with him, wait for him and to be a friend to him – EVERY DAY! This peer has Autism, so he does not just take to every person. However, the two have an excellent rapport. Additionally, they have formed a friendship that no one else has been able to do thus far.
Maggie is very involved in both tap and hip hop dance. She loves to swim and ride her bicycle. She also likes reading and art activities. As a straight ” A” student with perfect attendance, Maggie is off to a wonderful start.
Our last nominee this month is Logan Boreni a twelfth grade student in Lemon Bay High School. He is the son of Allison and Gene Boreni.
Logan was nominated by a staff member at Lemon Bay who had this to say. Logan goes above and beyond for all school organizations that he is involved in. He always has a positive attitude and is a constant role model for all students around him. He encourages others all the time by believing that they have the ability to complete things they did not think was possible. He pushes teams to be more positive and more effective. He pushes them to act responsibly through kind words and a smile. This genuine caring characteristic is rare in high school students.
Logan is very active in soccer, where he is the team captain. He loves to read and run. He is a coach and a referee for the Englewood rec council, a Spanish tutor and teaches Spanish to preschool kids through the National Honor Society, He is also part of Drug Free Charlotte County. He is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and is the treasurer of the senior class.
We always like to hear about all of the wonderful things our youth are doing in our communities.
If you know of a youth in Charlotte County doing good deeds please nominate them for a Do the Right Thing award at www.puntagordapolice.com or call the Executive Director of Do the Right Thing of Charlotte County, Tony Pribble at 941-639-4111.
Prepared by:
Tony Pribble
Executive Director – Do the Right Thing of Charlotte County
Punta Gorda Police Department
(941) 639-4111
apribble@pgorda.us