Do The Right Thing Awardees
A fourth-grader at East Hanover Elementary School was recently recognized for “doing the right thing” while at recess.Ryan Gerst, the son of Mark and Terri Gerst, was recognized in the program which is a partnership between Lower Dauphin Communities That Care and Hummelstown Police. He was nominated by school aides Deb Blessing and Amy Hartman. Ryan found $3 on the school playground and gave it to the aides telling them that the money wasn’t his. “He could have done the easy thing and pocketed that money,” Hummelstown Police Chief Chuck Dowell told Ryan’s classmates. “But he did the right thing and that’s why he’s being recognized today. ”For his honesty, he received a certificate of recognition, a Do
the Right Thing T-shirt, and a $25 gift card. Susquehanna Bank was the program’s monthly sponsor for September.
A kindergarten student at South Hanover Elementary School and the entire boys’ soccer team were recently recognized for “doing the right thing” by Lower Dauphin Communities That Care and the Hummelstown Police Department. Olivia Kouletsis was honored for helping a new student find her way around the school. The new student was recently adopted by her family from Russia and Olivia offered to teach the girl English if she would teach Olivia Russian.
Members of the boys’ soccer team walked in the Ovarian Cancer Walk at Harrisburg Area Community College to show their support for a teammate’s mother. They were nominated by community member Janice Anderson who said, “This was a nice idea and shows what our teenagers are all about at Lower Dauphin High School. This is an awesome bunch of young men.” “In both cases, the nominees reached out to someone in need of help,” said LD CTC Program Director Kathy Peffer. “In Olivia’s case, she was helping a new student feel more comfortable and the soccer team helped a teammate and lifted his mother’s spirits during a difficult time.” For her act of kindness, Olivia received a certificate of recognition, a Do the Right Thing T-shirt, and a $25 gift card. The soccer team received T-shirts and
a 6-foot party sub from Mr. Bob’s Subway, the program’s monthly sponsor.
A first-grader at South Hanover Elementary School and a pair of second-graders at Conewago Elementary School were the recipients of the Do the Right Thing award for November. First-grader Elijah Elhajj was nominated by his teacher for helping a special needs student. The student sometimes struggles to walk or put on his coat and Elijah is always there to lend a hand – without ever being asked to help by an adult. The second-graders at Conewago Elementary School, Cassidy Burton and Brandt Foerster, found money on a school bus and turned gave it to the bus driver. As a reward, the students received certificates of recognition, Do the Right Thing T-shirts, $25 gift cards, and free Papa John’s pizzas. “Sometimes lending a hand and being a good friend is all it takes to do the right thing,” said Hummelstown Police Chief Chuck Dowell. “And sometimes, as in the case of the second-graders at Conewago Elementary, it was simply doing the right thing at the right time.”
Two second-graders at South Hanover Elementary School were the recipients of the Do the Right Thing award for December. Second-graders Grace Walter and Abbey Lennox were nominated by their classroom teacher, Ms. Kristen MacKay, when she saw them stand-up for a fellow student who was being picked on. As a reward, the students received certificates of recognition, Do the Right Thing T-shirts, $25 gift cards, and
free Papa John’s pizzas. “It’s not always easy to do the right thing,” said Kathy Peffer, Lower Dauphin Communities That Care program director. “We’re all so proud of these girls for helping make a bad situation better.”
Lower Dauphin Communities That Care and the Hummelstown Police Department honored three students with “Do the Right Thing” awards in January. Londonderry Elementary School first-grader Carolyn O’Donnel was nominated by her teacher Stacy Gallick for going out of her way to befriend and include all the students in their class. “She is gentle in her words and actions to everyone,” Mrs. Gallick said. “As I watch her constantly encouraging her friends,
I can’t help but feel fortunate to be her teacher.”
Justin Shade, a fifth-grader at South Hanover Elementary School, was recognized for helping two younger students at his school. He was nominated by teacher Ann Panchick who said, “He spoke gently and kindly to them and has a caring side that he shows to younger students.”
Lower Dauphin High School sophomore Samuel Pozzi was nominated by teacher Amy Hiler after he found money in the school hallway and informed his teacher and principal. “Approaching and talking with others is difficult and challenging for him,” Mrs. Hiler said. “He had to talk with three different people to ‘do the right thing’ in this situation and I feel this strongly demonstrates that Samuel has the right attitude and knows the importance of good character.” “It was difficult for our committee to select just two this month,” said Kathy Peffer, Lower Dauphin Communities That Care program director. “So we awarded three students! Each demonstrated a commitment to doing the right thing and we’re proud of all of them.”
Londonderry Elementary School fifth-grader Cheyenne Silks was nominated by her principal, Mike Lausch, who was reviewing a bus video of an incident and saw Cheyenne stand up to a student who was bullying another child on the bus. “She told the bully that what was being done was not right and it needed to stop,” he explained. “Her actions and courage to stand up for what was right makes her a hero in this situation.”
Mason Dillon, a second-grader at South Hanover Elementary School, was nominated by his teacher Andrea Diller for picking students to help him distribute his birthday treat. She explained that the students Mason picked rarely get chosen by other students to help with special events. “Those children were thrilled,” she said. “I feel Mason is a fine example of a child who ‘did the right thing’.” The monthly sponsor for the program was The (Hummelstown) Sun newspaper.
A fifth-grader at East Hanover Elementary School and a sixth-grader at Lower Dauphin Middle School were the recipients of the Do the Right Thing award for March. Fifth-grader Phillip Spaseff was nominated Mrs. Lauren Bruce, school guidance counselor. She explained that he found $8 in the hallway and instead of keeping it, informed the school office. “He could have easily kept this money, but instead, he chose to do the right thing and turn it in to the office,” she said. “We at East Hanover continually try to instill a sense of values in our students and seeing him turn over money with no prompting to do so makes us very proud.”
Sixth-grader Kantor Dalton also found money in school – in this case a $20 bill. He informed classroom teacher Donald Reese and gave the money to him. The person who lost the money was found by the office and it was returned to him. As a reward, the students received a certificate of recognition, Do the Right Thing T-shirts, $25 gift cards, and free Papa John’s pizzas. “Doing the right thing often involves doing what you know is right even when no one is looking,” said Hummelstown Police Chief Chuck Dowell. “In the case of these students, that’s exactly what they did.”