Jody Trader

The Cape Coral Police Department held its monthly Do The Right Thing awards presentation last Wednesday at Cape Coral City Hall. Six students were recognized.

– Jody Trader, 5th grade, Patriot Elementary, son of Michelle & Cole Trader

In July, Jody Trader observed a young adult male go into his neighbor’s garage, take a bicycle and ride off. He didn’t waste any time, but immediately ran to that house to tell his neighbors of the burglaryand theft. When the police arrived, they found that the homeowners and other neighbors, using Jody’s information, had followed the suspect and set a perimeter around him awaiting police arrival. When the suspect was apprehended from a canal, Jody provided a witness statement and positively identified the young man as the perpetrator during a “show up.”

– Taylor Wilson, 1st grade, Cape Coral Prep, daughter of Tiffany & Andrew Wilson

Toward the end of the last school year, Cape Coral Preparatory Academy participated in Jump Rope for Heart, a program run by the American Heart Association to help those with heart disease. Before the event, the students had the opportunity to learn about the American Heart Association and the people they help. After the lesson, Taylor went home and emptied her piggy bank to donate to the cause. She was saving her money to purchase a shark egg for her saltwater tank but told her teacher that she gave her money instead to Jump Rope for Heart so kids with heart disease can live longer and their parents can stay with them while they’re hospitalized. She stated that she can save at a later date to stock her fish tank.

Taylor Wilson

– Brock Oster, 3rd grade, Gulf Elementary, son of Larry & Cindy Oster

Brock has been a volunteer at Coral Trace Health Care for a few years. He goes in with his mom during the school year on a few Saturdays a month and just about every holiday. He has been part of Thanksgiving for the past 6 years there. He helps to bring the residents to meals and will bring in his reading books or read magazines or mail to the residents. He also gets a great response when he brings in his pet lizard, Smiley. Brock is a natural around the elderly and knows that sometimes, people do not have anyone in their lives.

Brock also has a big heart in school. He likes to make sure that everyone has a friend. Recently, he identified a young boy in his school who was shy and did not really talk to anyone. Brock always made an attempt to include him and made sure he had extra snacks with him so the boy would feel important.

– Amanda Harriman, 9th grade, Island Coast High, daughter of Lana Harriman

Amanda Harriman is a testament to what all teens should be like. She is a wonderful role model and friend to many. Amanda took a stand against bullying and recorded her story to be put in an anti-bullying film. Amanda used to be a bully and when she saw first hand the effects of bullying, she stopped and made a pact to help others who are being bullied. Amanda’s best friend committed suicide because of being bullied. This impacted Amanda in a very profound way. Daily I have seen this young woman be a friend to students who may be outcasts or who are unaccepted and Amanda seeks them out to be friends. She is very brave to tell her story about the impact of bullying. Amanda joined anti-bullying club in April 2012 and helped make a film that won 2nd place at the Lee County film festival.

Brock Oster

– Emma Woolf, 1st grade, Gulf Elementary, daughter of Michelle & Derek Woolf

Emily Woolf cut her long blond hair to donate to Locks for Love. Even after hearing how short her hair would be afterward, she was still adamant about doing this in order to benefit someone else.

– Samantha Pecoraro, 10th grade, Oasis High, daughter of Susan & David McArthur

Samantha Pecoraro suffers from a rare, incurable white blood cell disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) which causes the body to think food is a parasite and attack itself. It causes the body to be allergic to several if not all foods. Samantha has lost all food from her diet and is fed with a special formula through a tube in her stomach. She has suffered with this since birth, but was first diagnosed in 2007 at the age of 10.

Though she suffers chronic pain and endures numerous hospital visits, surgeries and procedures, Samantha never complains and is always focused on raising awareness of the disease in order to raise money for research for a cure. She continually advocates for those who suffer with EoE and has made several awareness videos and has drawn attention to her disease through many types of media. Samantha is a remarkable teen striving to help others with an issue she is far too familiar with.

Amanda Harriman

The Cape Coral Police Department held its monthly Do The Right Thing awards presentation last Wednesday at Cape Coral City Hall. Six students were recognized. — Jody Trader, 5th grade, Patriot Elementary, son of Michelle & Cole Trader In July, Jody Trader observed a young adult male go into his neighbor’s garage, take a bicycle and ride off. He didn’t waste any time, but immediately ran to that house to tell his neighbors of the burglaryand theft.

The Cape Coral Police Department held its monthly Do The Right Thing awards presentation last Wednesday at Cape Coral City Hall. Six students were recognized. — Jody Trader, 5th grade, Patriot Elementary, son of Michelle & Cole Trader In July, Jody Trader observed a young adult male go into his neighbor’s garage, take a bicycle and ride off. He didn’t waste any time, but immediately ran to that house to tell his neighbors of the burglaryand theft.