DOTHERIGHTTHING
OFCHARLOTTE‐MECKLENBURG
February18,2016
CharlotteFireDepartmentHeadquarters
Dedicatedtorecognizing,celebratingandrewardingyouth,
who,inthefaceofoverwhelmingodds,exhibitcharacterandintegrity.
“Thetimeisalwaysrighttodotherightthing.”
‐‐MartinLutherKing,Jr.
Welcome
CaptainTorriTellis
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartment
IntroductionofHonoredGuestsandSponsors
ChiefJonHannan
CharlotteFireDepartment
ChiefKerrPutney
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartment
SheriffIrwinCarmichael
MecklenburgCountySheriff’sOf ice
SuperintendentAnnClark
Charlotte‐MecklenburgSchools
KelleyPhelps
CPISecuritySystems
MikeKeffer
CharlotteFireDepartmentCreditUnion
LorettaAllman
CharlotteInternationalAutoShow
RecognitionofStudentWinners
CaptainTorriTellis
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartment
FormalProgramClosure
ChiefFireInvestigatorPaulWilkinson
DotheRightThingBoardChairperson
Photos
Allstudentwinnersandguestsareaskedtoremainforgroupphotos
FoodandTourofApparatus
RecognitionofStudentWinners
AnaCaceres,E.E.WaddellLanguageAcademy,6thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icer
ChipWilson
SchoolResourceOf icerChipWilsonwaseatinglunchwith
Ana’sclasswhensheaskedsomeimportantquestionsabout
issuesshewitnessedonherschoolbus.Of icerWilson
answeredAna’squestions,thenaskedhertoprovide
additionalinformationaboutherconcerns.Anadidthe
rightthingwhensheworkedwithlawenforcementtostop
thispotentiallydangerousbehavior.
OrionCarrington,CoulwoodMiddleSchool,7thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icer
StevePressley
Astudentcollapsedandstartedseizinginthecafeteria.
Schoolstaffdidnotimmediatelyseetheincident,but
quicklyrespondedtohelp.Whentheschoolresourceof icerlaterreviewedthevideo,he
sawOriondoingtherightthingbytryingtohelpthestudent,talkingtohim,shaking
himandstayingbyhissideuntilastaffmembertookover.
Of icerPressleysaid,“Orionshouldbecommendedforhisbraveryinthefaceof
uncertainty.Althoughhemaynothaveknownexactlywhattodoforthepatient,hestill
stayedandtriedtodosomething.”
ChazlinCromartieandDenajehHarris,NorthridgeMiddleSchool,8thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerTyroneRuff
ChazlinandDenajehtoldtheschoolresourceof iceraboutastudentwhobroughta
weapontoschoolandwasshowingitoffinthebathroom.Althoughthesetwostudents
didnotcomeforwarduntilthenextday,theydidtherightthingbydecidingtoprovide
thiscriticalinformationtotheschoolresourceof icer.Theiractionsledlawenforcement
toinvestigateandaddresswhatcouldhavebeenadangeroussituation.
MakiyaJohnsonandKayniaWhiteside,RidgeRoadMiddleSchool,8thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerWilliamHouston
AstudentonthebusshowedaknifetoMakiyaandKayniaandsaidhewantedtohurt
himself.Assoonastheyarrivedatschool,thegirlstoldstaffwhattheysawandheard.
Theschoolresourceof icerusedtheirinformationto indthestudentandtheknifeand
toaddresstheseseriousconcerns.MakiyaandKayniadidtherightthingwhenthey
steppedforwardtoprotecttheirclassmatesand,possiblymoreimportantly,helpthis
student.
MikahLowery,KennedyMiddleSchool,6thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerTrevorBourque
AstudentinMikah’sclassshowedheraknifeandmadeacommentabouthurting
someonewithit.Mikahdidtherightthingwhenshealertedherteacher;theknifewas
recoveredquicklyandnoonewashurt.Thestudenthasahistoryofissues,andthe
schoolresourceof icersaidMikah’squickthinkingmayhavestoppedapotentially
seriousincident.
KellyMelia‐CastroandSerbraunThompson,WestMecklenburgHigh,10thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerRayHughes
KellyandSerbraunsawtwopeoplerobbinganotherstudentoffcampus.Thetwopeople
tookthevictim’snewshoesandweregoingtohurthim,butSerbraunpushedthe
suspectsawayandtriedtostopthembeforetheydroveoff.KellyandSerbraunidenti ied
oneofthesuspectsandgavethatinformationtotheschoolresourceof icer,whichledto
anarrest.Thetwoyoungwomendidtherightthingwhentheysteppeduptoprotecta
classmateandprovidedetailstolawenforcement.
2015DotheRightThingCeremony,BankofAmericaStadium
2015DotheRightThingCeremony,BankofAmericaStadium
BraedonMorrisonandMiracleLewis,E.E.WaddellLanguageAcademy,6thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerChipWilson
Duringclasschange,BraedonandMiracleindividuallyspottedstudentsinthehallway
passingaplasticbaggie illedwithgreenleafymaterial.WhenBraedongottohisnext
class,heimmediatelytoldhisteacherwhathesawandshesenthimtotheschool
resourceof icer.Atalmostthesametime,Miraclewasabletoobtainthebaggieandturn
itovertoateacher,whocalledtheschoolresourceof icer.
ThankstoBraedonandMiracle,policetrackeddownthestudentwhobroughtthe
baggietoschoolandfollowedupwiththeirinvestigation.Of icerWilsonsaid,“Braedon
andMiracle,youaremyheroes.Greatjobforstandingupand‘doingtherightthing.’”
DarienReynolds,VanceHighSchool,11thGrade
NominatedbyVanceHighAssistantPrincipalLeisaChristian
Studentscrowdedarounda ightinthecafeteriaonemorning,makingitdif icultfor
schoolstafftoseparatethestudentsinvolved.Whilemanystudentswatchedandeven
recordedthe ightontheircellphones,Dariendidtherightthingwhenhesteppedin
andguidedoneofthe ightingstudentsoutofthecrowd.Hewasinstrumentalin
separatingthestudentsandbreakingupthe ight.
SydneySpellman,KaydenSpellman,JaxonCooper,JaydenNesbittandJalenEvans,
RidgeRoadMiddleSchool,8thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerWilliamHouston
Astudentbroughtaweapontothebusstopandshowedittoclassmates.Assoonas
theyarrivedatschoolthatmorning,these ivestudents–Sydney,Kayden,Jaxon,Jaylen
andJalen–toldtheschool’sassistantprincipalwhattheysaw.Sincethese ivedidthe
rightthing,theschoolresourceof icertrackeddownthestudentandtheweapon,
whichwashiddenatthebusstop.
“Dotherightthing.Itwillgratifysomepeople
andastonishtherest.”
‐‐MarkTwain
NicholasStathopoulos,ProvidenceHighSchool,11thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerJamesCrosby
Earlierthisyear,someonestoleawatchfromthewomen’slockerroomatProvidence
HighSchool.Overthenextfewdays,somestudentssetuptheircellphonestorecordthe
lockerroomswhiletheywereingymclass,anddiscoveredthatsomeonewasgoinginto
theareaandsearchingthelockers.
Nicholassawsomeofthosevideospostedonsocialmediaandalertedtheschool
resourceof icer,hopingtheycouldhelpwiththewatchinvestigation.However,students
quicklylearnedthatrecordingvideointhelockerroomswasn’tallowedandtookthem
offsocialmedia.
Nicholasworkedwiththestudentsandtheschoolresourceof icertogetcopiesofthe
videos,whichledtoasuspect.Thesuspectdeniedanyinvolvement,butthenextday,
someoneleftthewatchanonymouslyintheschoolof iceanditwasreturnedtoitsowner.
Althoughthetheftcaseisstillopen,Of icerCrosbysaid,“Nickexhibitedapassionfor
doingtherightthing.Heshowedasenseofownershipandcommunitytowardhisschool,
aswellasagreatdealofdeterminationbyholdinglengthynegotiationswiththeowners
ofthevideosandencouragingthemtoalso‘dotherightthing.’”
DeidraWarren,ProvidenceHighSchool,12thGrade
NominatedbyCMPDSchoolResourceOf icerJamesCrosby
Deidrasawastudentoncampusafterschoolwithwhatappearedtobeabutter lyknife.
Thenextmorning,shedidtherightthingwhensheimmediatelytoldschoolstaff,who
calledpolice.Staffidenti iedthestudentandfoundametalcombthatlookedverymuch
likeabutter lyknife.Of icerCrosbysaid,“Deidratookseriouslywhatsheperceivedtobe
apotentiallydangerousschoolsafetyissueandreportedittoauthorities.”
DotheRightThingisanon‐pro itorganizationdedicatedto
recognizingandhonoringyoungpeopleinthecommunitywhomake
goodchoicesandexhibitcharacterandintegrity,sometimesintheface
ofoverwhelmingodds.Fourtimesthisyear,winnerswerechosenfrom
dozens—sometimeshundreds—ofstudentsnominatedbyteachers,
principals,policeof icersandmembersofthecommunity.
Allnomineesreceiveacerti icateofrecognition.Award‐winnersalso
receiveatabletcomputer,certi icate,otherprizes,andareinvitedtoa
specialceremony.
Thisisthe18thyearforDotheRightThing,whichisapartnership
betweentheCharlotteFireDepartment,theMecklenburgCountySheriff’sOf ice,the
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartmentandCharlotte‐MecklenburgSchools.
GototheDotheRightThingwebsiteatwww.DoTheRightThing‐Char.orgtolearn
more.
Congratulationstothe2014‐15
Dr.AndrewP.“Sam”HaywoodAwardWinners
Everyyear,DotheRightThingpresentstheDr.AndrewP.“Sam”HaywoodAwardtooneoverallDothe
RightThingwinner.Theawardisgiventoastudentwhodisplayedexemplaryattitudeandbehavior,
showedbraveryunderextremecircumstances,orparticipatedinoutstandingvolunteerwork.All
studentwinnersoverthecourseoftheyearareeligibletowintheaward.
Dr.HaywoodtaughtschoolinCharlottebeforeservingasprincipalatfourCharlotte‐Mecklenburg
Schools:TuckaseegeeElementary,CoulwoodMiddle,IndependenceHigh,andWestCharlotteHigh.He
waslaternamedanareasuperintendent.
Dr.HaywoodretiredfromCharlotte‐MecklenburgSchoolsin1992,butcontinuedtovolunteerwith
groupsthatsupportededucation,includingtheNorthCarolinaBoardofEducation,CMSandDothe
RightThing.Hepassedawayin2006.Wehonorhismemoryandaccomplishmentsbypresentingthis
annualawardnamedforhim.
In2014‐15,theDotheRightThingBoardofDirectorsselectedtwostudentsasHaywoodaward‐
winners.Theywereselectedfromamong36DotheRightThingwinnersrecognizedinfourceremonies
overtheschoolyear.Thosewinnerswereamonghundredsofstudents
nominatedbyteachers,principals, ire ighters,policeof icersand
membersofthecommunityfortheDotheRightThingprogram.
JosephReyes
JosephReyeswashomeasleepwhenheheardaseveralgunshots.The
suspectwasinsidethehouseand iringatJoseph’sbrother,whowashit
severaltimes.Josephrantohisbrother,draggedhimdownthestairsand
outthedoortosafety.Thesuspectfollowedthemoutside,whereJoseph
stoodinfrontofhisbrothertoprotecthim.Josephtriedtowrestlethegun
awayfromthesuspect,whoranaway.IfnotforJoseph’sbraveryand
quickactions,hisbrothermayhavebeenkilled.Josephdidtheright
thingwhenheriskedhislifetosavehisbrother,despiteavery
frighteningandstressfulsituation.
ElijahBeamer
WhenElijahwasattendingNortheastMiddleSchool,someonestolehis
trackbagfromhislocker.Thenextday,ElijahtoldOf icerTonyaKiser
thathefoundoutwhohadtakenhisthings—becausethestudentwasin
theschoollibrary,wearingElijah’sclothesandshoes.AsOf icerKiser
andElijahwerewalkingtothelibrary,Elijahsaid,"Of icerKiser,even
thoughIwantmystuffback,I'mgoingtotrytoholdmycomposure
becauseIdon'tknowthatkid’scircumstancesandmaybetherewasa
reasonthathetookmystuff."
Theof icermetwithbothstudentsandtheirparents.Theotherstudent
agreedtoreturntheclothes,andexplainedhetookthembecausehewasbeingteasedbyotherstudents,
whowerecallinghimnamesbecauseofwhathewaswearing—someofwhichwastoosmall.Duringthe
conversation,theylearnedthestudent’sparentswereself‐employed,buthadn’tbeenabletowork
becauseofacaraccident.Theyhadfallenbehindontheirbills,butwerecatchingupandplannedtobuy
newclothestoreplacethetoo‐smalloneswhentheincidenthappened.
Thestudentreturnedtheitemsthenextday,butElijahalsowentaboveandbeyond,doingtheright
thingwhenhebroughtalargebagofgentlyusedclothingforthestudentwhohadtakenhisclothes.
Thankyouforsupportingourstudents.
Duringtheevening,pleasetakeafewminutes,introduceyourselfandthank
ourcorporatesponsorrepresentatives.Withouttheircontinued inancial
commitmentandsupport,ourprogramcouldnotbewhatitistoday.
DoTheRightThingofCharlotte‐Mecklenburg
BoardofDirectors
ChiefFireInvestigatorPaulWilkinson
CynthiaRobbinsShah‐Khan
CaptainTorriTellis
SergeantCelestineRatliff SergeantChuckHall
CaptainTomSeifert
ChiefRandyHagler
DebKaclik
EricTornfelt
RobinGreen
KelleyPhelps
TonyBateman
MikeKeffer
JasonTilley
PatNofsinger
CharlotteFireDepartment
CharlotteFireDepartment
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartment
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartment
Charlotte‐MecklenburgPoliceDepartment
MecklenburgCountySheriff’sOf ice
Charlotte‐MecklenburgSchoolsPolice
Charlotte‐MecklenburgSchools
Charlotte‐MecklenburgSchools
Charlotte‐MecklenburgSchools
CPISecuritySystems
CentralPiedmontCommunityCollege
CharlotteFireDepartmentCreditUnion
CharlotteFireDepartmentCreditUnion
CMSRetired/Volunteer