‘Amazing Acts of Character’
Fayetteville – Each month through the school system’s character recognition program titled ‘Amazing Acts of Character,’ schools are asked to nominate students who display character above and beyond expected pleasant behavior.
Three students were recently selected from individual school nominations for displaying ‘Amazing Acts of Character’ and will be recognized and honored during the Cumberland County Schools’ monthly Board meeting on Tuesday, March 13 in the Central Services building, located at 2465 Gillespie Street. The honorees are as follows:
Jerry Elliot Jr., a kindergartener at Raleigh Road Elementary School, was one of three students chosen for this honor. According to the six year old’s teacher, Vivian Fredricks, “his trustworthiness and intuitive nature saved the life of a friend and classmate.” Fredricks said that recently during breakfast in the school cafeteria, Jerry noticed his classmate was having difficulty breathing. “He briskly walked with the classmate to class and alerted the teacher,” said Fredricks. “He told her she needed to take the classmate for a breathing treatment immediately.” The teacher was able to get the child to the office in time to have her medicine administered and dial 9-1-1.
Sunnyside Elementary School teacher Sheila Strickland said that eight-year-old Madason Scott “displayed understanding of a complex matter and showed great empathy and compassion” recently when she volunteered to use her birthday money to help pay the admission fee for her and her three siblings to participate in a PTA-sponsored school dance.
According to Deborah Hilson, the school counselor at Montclair Elementary School, “in the face of danger, 10-year-old Gabriel Alexander displayed his trustworthiness in the task of caring for his siblings by protecting his younger sister from being hit by a car that did not stop at the cross walk recently.” Hilson said that the fifth grader walks his younger siblings to school every day. As they were crossing the street at the cross walk, a car sped toward them. “Gabriel had clarity of mind and concern for his siblings as he realized the car was not going to stop,” said Hilson. “He quickly pushed his younger sister, who was walking in front of him, out of harm’s way.” Gabriel was hit by the car and taken to the hospital to receive treatment for injuries that plague him. The driver never stopped. Nonetheless, Gabriel continues to walk his siblings to school. “He has been a brave young man not to let this traumatic experience interfere with his life,” said Hilson. “He did the job his mother trusted him to do above personal cost to himself. He continues to demonstrate that he can be trusted by caring for his younger siblings as they walk to school despite the accident.”
The ‘Amazing Acts of Character’ committee selects winners based on school nominations. The winners are then recognized at the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education. A special trophy and certificate are presented to each student winner.
