Where Are They Now

Ryan Ledee is now eleven and continues to “do the right thing.”   A team player both on and off the field, Ryan is active in Cub Scouts, has outstanding grades and participates in soccer and select baseball.  Ryan received his award after rescuing a small child in a swimming pool, which earned him the respect and gratitude of the entire community.

How did Ryan feel after receiving the Do the Right Thing award?  “AMAZING!”  People throughout the community and teachers in particular have shown much pride in his actions.  Ryan summed up the experience with a mixture of awe and humble surprise by saying, “I became a little bit of a celebrity.”

Ryan’s advice to kids everywhere:  “You can never go wrong by doing the right thing in any situation.”

Maddie is now in college but remembers fondly when she and hers sisters and brother won the Do The Right Thing award.  As children of a police officer involved with Do the Right Thing, Maddie and her siblings began helping the program by assembling prize packages, setting up DTRT events and handling pivotal administrative tasks.  Eventually the four siblings received the award themselves because of their time, energy and dedication to helping the program grow.  The siblings all enjoyed being of service to “hero kids.”

Maddie remembers one particular DTRT winner who saved his grandfather’s life, a story which impacted her greatly.  By comparison, Maddie felt conflicted when she and her siblings received the award because of the enormous respect they had for the other winners.

“I didn’t feel like I did as much as some of the other kids who won,” she remembers.  “But it felt great to be recognized.”  Maddie continues to do volunteer work to this day and finds great satisfaction in involving others in volunteer work as well.

“Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing, but we all need people to be great citizens.  Everything makes a difference.”