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November 2024 Top Winners
Our top ten winners were honored in the Maryland Heights Council Chambers on November 13, 2024, joined by our Mistress of Ceremonies, KMOV Anchor Taylor Holt, St. Louis County Police Department's Captain Anthony Cavaletti, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Chief Robert Tracy, Glendale Police Department's Chief Jeffrey Beaton, and our host, Maryland Heights Police Chief Bill Carson.
Jace Burrow
West Junior High School
Belleville School District 118
Jace was nominated by Tara Karfs and Oliva Flerra, who shared this with us, “Jace is in my first hour social studies class where some students "push in." One such student had a lot of struggles at the beginning of year with following directions, understanding procedures, and pretty much everything else. Jace was randomly seated next to this student. He took it upon himself to help this girl every day. He makes sure she has her agenda filled out and helps her locate the correct papers. If she is having a really rough day emotionally, Jace quietly works to calm her down and he notifies Mrs. Flerra, a teacher in the room. He has gone to other classrooms to locate her missing papers, walked her to the next class period, and always makes her feel included. His caring, selfless interactions with her have made Mrs. Flerra and me so proud. Jace is a very popular, outgoing, athletic kid with lots of friends. The student he helps is not. Jace has become her friend, and he does not care what others think. Their daily interactions are the epitome of inclusion in the classroom.”
Zurri Jeanette Catching
St. Louis Language Immersion School
SLLIS-UMSL COE
Detective Danny Schaberg, who submitted this nominations stated, “Zurri is a third grade scholar at St. Louis Language Immersion School. On October 23, 2024, Zurri saw a suspicious person outside of her school. When her classmates began taunting the person, Zurri abstained and instead gathered a detailed description of the man. When she saw the man make gestures towards her classmates that made them feel unsafe, she immediately told a teacher, who responded and made sure everyone made it back into the school safely. Police were notified and the school was kept safe. Zurri definitely did the right thing by not speaking with strangers, by not making fun of someone, by gathering correct information, and for immediately notifying a trusted adult. Her actions helped keep herself and her school community safe. She also did not engage in misinformation and rumor spreading, which had added to the initial confusion. Her help was so important in determining exactly what happened. The Juvenile Division of the SLMPD is so proud of Zurri's good choices!” We are too!
Zarek Cooper
Douglas Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Brandy Dohle, who nominated Zarek stated, “It is an honor to nominate Zarek Cooper for an opportunity to be recognized for doing the right thing! Zarek has taken on a strong leadership role in our school community. He was asked to step up as a leader in our building and not only did he accept the opportunity, but he has embraced the need to see others succeed with seriousness. As a 6th grader, he is part of the oldest class in our building. This allows Zarek and his classmates the opportunity to have 1st grade buddies. The buddy program gives our older students the opportunity to take on a variety of roles in the lives of our first graders, but most importantly, they have become role models. Zarek, on the other hand, has taken his role model responsibilities to another level. Zarek recognizes the challenges that some students face and has taken on a role that allows him to make a DAILY impact on his buddy! As a 6th grader, Zarek has been implemented as part of an intervention within a behavior modification plan for his buddy. Each and every day, Zarek takes time out of his afternoon to complete a check in and movement break opportunity for his buddy. Zarek is prompt, reliable and the bright spot to the day in the life of this 1st grader. He comes to the 1st grade classroom door with grace. He is humble, never looking for recognition or accolades, but is there to take care of business. Zarek knows the value his visits play in the success of another and I hope he feels immense pride for the difference he is making by "doing the right thing" each and every day.”
Avery Cortez, Jena Foster, Vincent Paszkot, Cole Soonattrakul, and Kade Wetzel
Delores Moye Elementary School
O'Fallon School District 90
Lynae Vahle who nominated them stated, “This year, I have a very wide range of abilities and skill levels in my classroom. I often spend a great amount of time redirecting, reteaching, and organizing several students requiring much of my time and attention. Avery, Vincent, Cole, Kade, and Jena are exemplary students who always go above and beyond with their schoolwork and finish before many of the other students. They could choose to chatter amongst themselves or distract others around them. However, they always choose to Do the Right Thing. They read, help others around them, volunteer to help me with others, write in their journals, or just sit patiently. They are kind to and show great empathy towards these students, and they help as much as they can to assist them and me with tasks. Although I appreciate and desperately need them to help, I did not feel it was fair for a huge part of their school day consist of helping others catch up, and I really feared they would read every book in our library by November. I pondered over a way I could engage them in something they could work on independently and take complete ownership of while learning higher level skills and leadership. I spoke with them, and we decided they would create a weekly class newspaper. They each chose an area of our curriculum to report on each week and one student decided to interview and photograph a staff member. The first week was a huge success. The next week, they added a weekly joke and class survey. One student collected the data while another student figured out how to insert a graph into the document. They all share the weekly document through Google Docs, they get together to proofread and edit with our instructional aide, and then they send it to the printer. I cannot wait to see the other ideas they come up with throughout the year. They are all so very excited about this project, mainly because it is THEIR'S!! From beginning to end, they create the final product to share with others. Their passion for learning, their perseverance to find topics they want to cover, the leadership skills they are exhibiting, and the teamwork they show in working together is something amazing to see from a group of ten-year-olds! I couldn't be prouder of them, and I know you will see them Do the Right Thing and be very successful in the future. I couldn't just choose one of them, because each of them contributes so much and exhibits all of these amazing character traits.”
Mohammad Omar Enayat
Bayless Elementary School
Bayless School District
This young man was nominated by Kimbelry Moreau who stated, “Mohammad has been an amazing helper for his community. He is a bilingual student, who shares his skills by interpreting for his family and other students. When his cousins, who are newcomers to the United States, started school at Bayless his help was invaluable. Especially, since we lacked interpretive services in their language. Just when we needed support to orient the family on their first day, Mohammad stepped in. He helped office staff get their bus set up, assisted with a tour and introduced their classroom teachers. He was amazing! His enthusiasm and warmth made a significant impact, and he approached everything with a big smile and joy in his heart.”
Kion Hale
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Kion was nominated for this award by Arynn Wright who stated, “Kion is such a kind friend in my Kindergarten class. The beginning of the year was a rough transition. He was very nervous about coming, meeting new adults, finding new friends, and doing hard things. He very quickly has become a leader in our classroom. He has shown so much bravery and courage. He now works hard to try new things. He helps all of his friends and is the first one to check on a friend who is struggling. He often times in the room can be found cleaning things up, offering up his own supplies, and assisting when students are struggling. He is also the first one to share when someone has lost something or wants something in our play centers. While he may have started with a lot of fear, he now has shown so much bravery and helps others break those barriers when things are hard. I am so incredibly proud of him!”
Marcus Harris and Keowan Salmond
West Junior High School
Belleville School District 118
These young men were nominated by Jesseca Musso, who stated, “I am thrilled to nominate Marcus and Keowan for their exceptional kindness and leadership in Innovation Lab this quarter. Over the past nine weeks, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing these two remarkable young men consistently embody what it means to be truly inclusive.
Both boys have consistently gone out of their way to support and uplift a classmate who often struggles with social interactions and group activities. Rather than allowing him to feel isolated, Marcus and Keowan made it their mission to ensure he was always included—often choosing him first for group projects. Their support didn’t stop there. On days when this student faced challenges, Marcus and Keowan offered quiet words of encouragement and took the time to patiently explain how his words, sometimes blunt, might impact others. Their approach was filled with grace, understanding, and patience.
Because of Marcus and Keowan’s unwavering kindness, their classmate had an extraordinary quarter. He experienced new things, felt a deep sense of inclusion, and even confided in me about how safe and comfortable he feels around both of them. Their actions go far beyond the lessons we teach about inclusivity in school—they’ve shown what it means to genuinely live those values. Marcus and Keowan are truly outstanding individuals, and their compassion has made a profound impact on their peer and our entire classroom community.”
Jayden Ponder
Jefferson Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Jayden’s story came to us from Kailey Caliper. His nomination stated, “I am nominating Jayden for consistently choosing a can-do attitude. Jayden is one of my first-grade students. In the two months I’ve known Jayden, he is constantly improving and trying his best. When he’s in the classroom, he’s always working hard and praising other students for their hard work. When he’s with me or his LD teacher, he is consistently locked in on improving his math and reading skills. On top of his hard work, Jayden shows a lot of responsibility. He has a busy schedule with speech, OT, and LD minutes, and he is always where he needs to be without reminders. Finally, Jayden is a loving student and friend. He always lets me, and other staff know how much he appreciates us. He always shows his friends how much he appreciates them as well.”
Miles Porter Shifflet
Henry Raab Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Miles’ story was shared with us by Theresa Haag, who nominated him, stating, “Miles is in my math class. We were doing a partner activity with the friend they were sitting next to. I directed the kids to partner up with that friend. One of the boys said I don't want her as my partner! Referring to the little girl he was sitting next to. She was heartbroken. Without skipping a beat, Miles said I'll be her partner! She is really nice! The little girl's face lit up and all was well! I really appreciate the maturity Miles showed in this situation. Other kids were telling the boy that what he said wasn't nice, but Miles focused on his friend who was hurt and made her feel so much better! I am so proud of him!”
Avery Thomas
Remington Traditional School
Pattonville School District
Avery was nominated by Maryland Heights Police Officer Erica Stough, who stated, “I am thrilled to share the remarkable journey of Avery Thomas, a resilient fourth-grade student who has truly gone above and beyond. Avery, who joined our school last year, is autistic and has thrived in our supportive school environment. Avery was the first student I met when I started at Remington as an SRO.
His journey of growth and resilience is truly inspiring. Avery's exceptional progress is a result of the coping skills he diligently learned from his resource teacher at the school, Ms. Strickland. By applying these coping strategies, he has effectively managed his frustration and anger, setting a remarkable example for his peers. What sets Avery apart is his selfless and compassionate nature. When he encounters a fellow student in crisis, Avery takes it upon himself to share his coping strategies and sits with them until they have calmed down. His ability to empathize and support others in need is truly commendable. Moreover, Avery's positive influence extends beyond his interactions with peers. His knowledge of bugs, fire alarms, tornado sirens and trains is really unbelievable.
Last year, in collaboration with our principal, Dr. Don Furjes, Avery initiated the bug club, a unique and engaging initiative that captivated the interest of 28 students, with an additional 20 students on the waiting list. This club not only provided a positive outlet for students but also showcased Avery's leadership and initiative. Avery's story is a testament to the power of resilience, kindness, and leadership. Recognizing him for his exceptional contributions would not only honor his achievements but also serve as a source of inspiration for others. I wholeheartedly recommend Avery Thomas for the well-deserved recognition from Do The Right Thing. His journey embodies the spirit of determination and making a positive impact, and I am confident that he is truly deserving of this honor.”
