By ANDREA GALABINSKI, nfmneighbor@breezenewspapers.com
Bayshore Elementary was recently named a Do The Right Thing Program School of the Year. Besides Bayshore, Alva Middle School and Cypress Lake High School were also chosen for the honor, each representing students at different grade levels.
The program is sponsored by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, in which local students are recognized for humanitarian concern, honesty, integrity, positive decision-making and healthy lifestyle choices.
Each month throughout the school year the Lee County Sheriff’s Office honors the positive actions of students through the Do the Right Thing Student Recognition Program.
“The goal of Do the Right Thing is to reinforce positive behavior among youths and to establish students as role models for their peers,” said John McGraw, program director.
“Do the Right Thing partners law enforcement, local government, the business and Lee County educational community together in an effort to make a lasting positive impact on our community’s young adults,” he continued.
Everyone at Bayshore Elementary did an outstanding job this year, he said, and especially Principal Lynn Herrell.
“It’s her first year there and she has actively participated in the program and shown leadership and encouraging the program,” he said. “Her teachers, staff and parents have been made aware of the program and it’s benefits for the children. She knows the positive reinforcement that the program provides children in her school and the community is important.”
A lot of credit goes to the Peer Mediators group.
“Basically the group are children in the fourth or fifth grade that have volunteered their time after school to experience training to be peer meditators,” McGraw said. “Each morning, they report to the office to see who is having difficulties. They are there to help students learn how to solve their difficulties peacefully. It’s student to student.”
North Fort Myers’ own Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott heard how proud students and staff of the school were to hang a banner proclaiming them as a school of the year.
“They should be proud,” he said. “I’m very proud of them. And I credit the success to the dedicated principal and staff, together with parents, and most of all the students’ commitment to excellence.”
It’s a great program, he said.