Humanitarian concern, honesty, integrity, positive decision making and heroism was recognized Sept. 16 during the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s first “Do The Right Thing” Awards Ceremony of the school year.

It was held in the board room of the School Board of Lee County at 2855 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers.

Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann addressed the 16 students and congratulated them for winning the awards.

Each month throughout the 2010-2011 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, director of the program. “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 said.

Among those honored are the following from this area:

Austin Wesley of Lehigh Acres is a sixth grade student at Sonshine Christian Academy.

“One day Austin saw a man bashing a woman’s car windshield, he along with his father took on a lot, by following this man’s car and getting the license plate number, then proceeded to call 911 to report the crime, and eventually identified the person who committed the crime. That day Austin showed people his compassion and desire to do the right thing. When asked if he was a hero, he shrugged his shoulder and said ‘maybe a little,” McGraw said.

Lane Murphy of Lehigh Acres is a second grade student at Alva Elementary School. McGraw said first grade teacher Tracy Rainey wrote “I am nominating Lane Murphy for the ‘Do The Right Thing’ Award because he displayed a very selfless act for a great cause. We were raising money for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. We gave students plastic eggs and asked them to put coins in the eggs, for this cause. Then when each student brought in a filled egg, they would ‘crack’ it open and dump the coins into the collection container. Well Lane brought in all of his very own ‘Easter’ prize eggs (approximately $20 that he had won finding prize eggs during his family celebration). When I asked if he was sure he wanted to donate all of his money, he replied ‘yes’ that he had been thinking about it and ‘people with cancer need it more than me. And, anyway I was just going to buy a new toy or something like that with it. I was extremely touched that a seven-year-old would put his short term ‘want’ aside, and think about the long term benefit that his donation might make.”

Morgan Christie of Alva is a second grade student at Alva Elementary School.

First Grade teacher Tracy Rainey wrote: “I am nominating Morgan Christie for the Do The Right Thing Award because she displays a deep and caring compassion for the earth and the environment. Morgan took to heart what we learned about caring for our environment and about the three R’s about recycling reduce, reuse and recycle. She and her father walked to school the entire week of Earth Day, instead of driving, to reduce carbon emissions. They have since continued the habit and walk to school daily, weather permitting.”

Victoria Combs of Lehigh Acres is a fifth grade student at Sunshine Elementary School.

McGraw said that while waiting for the school bus one morning, Victoria was attacked by a stray pit bull. She instinctively reached out her arm to protect the two younger children who also were waiting for the bus that morning. Victoria took a bite and received severe bruising to her arm. Victoria courageously protected the little ones and put at risk her own safety, McGraw said.

Ronald Hanifen of Lehigh Acres is a twelfth grade student at Lehigh Senior High School.

McGraw said that in the nomination letter that Ronald alerted school officials about a serious vulnerability in our computer system which could have allowed someone with malicious intent to compromise the network. Ronald’s actions show his high degree of honesty and integrity. Ronald was honored by the ‘Do The Right Thing’ Program during the 2004-2005 School Year, and was one of the two Students of the Year for the Lee County Sheriff Office, McGraw said.