Several students were honored by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in its Do The Right Think program. The following are students in schools in Lehigh and Alva or they are from this area attending schools in other parts of the county. The ceremony was held Nov. 18.

John McGraw oversees the Do The Thing program each month of the school year. Students are nominated by teachers and/or parents and friends to receive the honor. A panel selects those chosen to be honored and given trophies and other gifts at a ceremony held at the Lee County Public Education Center, 2855 Colonial Blvd. The following are students of interest to this area:

Sophia Ayala of Lehigh Acres is a second grade student at Manatee Elementary School.

Teacher Ginjer Fassold nominated Ayala for her care and concern for another student in the school. She said Ayala volunteered to help a new student learn about the school. She held the student’s hand to and from lunch and enrichment classes to make sure that the student felt safe and secure.

Mikala Hingson of Fort Myers is a seventh grade student at Alva Middle School.

Physical education teacher Margaret Spradlin nominated Hingson because the student found a diamond earring in the locker room and immediately turned it in the school authorities.

The following three seventh grade students were honored together.

They were Amanda Katz of Alva, Ashley Gonzalez of Lehigh Acres, and Ashley DiCaprio of Lehigh Acres and they all attend Alva Middle School.

Physical education teacher Margaret Spradlin nominated the trio because they found money in the locker room and immediately turned the cash in to school authorities.

Camila Villacreses of Lehigh Acres is an eighth grade student at Varsity Lakes Middle School in Lehigh.

Teacher Sarah Ferguson said Camila volunteered 60 hours of her summer vacation to be a teacher’s assistant. She helped the children in their daily activities as well as helping keep the camp clean.

Cassandra Ramirez of Lehigh Acres is an eighth grade student at Varsity Lakes Middle School in Lehigh.

Teacher Sarah Ferguson said Villacreses had volunteered 52 hours of her summer vacation at the Lehigh Acres Youth Soccer organization. She assisted the coach in coaching the team three nights a week.

Alexis Anderson of Fort Myers is an eighth grade student at Varsity Lakes Middle School in Lehigh.

Teacher Sarah Ferguson said Ferguson volunteered 75 hours of her summer vacation at Orange River Elementary School. She tutored students in the Pre-K Program and assisted school staff as needed.

Tristan Byrd of Fort Myers is an eighth grade student at Varsity Lakes Middle School.

Teacher Elena Baldwin said that another student made inappropriate comments to Baldwin. Instead of responding verbally or physically, she went to an adult and explained what had happened. The adult was able to help.

Daniel Morales of Fort Myers is a sixth grade student at Varsity Lakes Middle School, Lehigh.

Staffer Carlene Burkhead said that the student found an I-Phone in the locker room at school and turned it in to the school office.

The following two ninth grade students were honored together.

Chandrae Bethea of Fort Myers and Brittany Johnson, of Lehigh Acres attend East Lee County High School.

Media Specialist Colleen Mitchell nominated both students when they became aware of a situation that was a safety concern. They could have overlooked it, but they made the right decision and reported the concern to their teacher. School authorities were then able to take the next appropriate action.

Do The Right Thing Coordinator John McGraw said students are recognized for their humanitarian concern, honesty, integrity, positive decision making and heroism.

The goal of “Do The Right Thing” is to reinforce positive behavior among youths and to establish students as role models for their peers. “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 the community’s young adults, McGraw said.