In February of last year the Police Department began its 'do the right thing' program. Since then a national winner has been selected who gets the opportunity to continue her education through a scholarship secured by the program. Since then the program has been on-going with district winners selected every month. Today the police officially announced their monthly winner and we were at Wesley Church and found out who is the person doing the right thing.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
Superintendent of Police Yolanda Murray presented Wesley College student 18 year old Travis Lennon with a t-shirt while Assistant Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries handed over a certificate and a letter from the Commissioner. Lennon is February's monthly winner for the Police Department's do the right thing program. Lennon was chosen because not only is he an academic model in Wesley he's also an outstanding athlete.
Travis Lennon,
"Its an overwhelming joy for me right now, I can't express the feeling that I am going through inside and to know that I am being looked upon by students, teachers, and everyone around me who feel at home in my presence is a very wonderful thing for me right now. You have to do the right thing every time and you have to be responsible enough to as well because as I said, I am a basketball player and that is something that I love doing but at the same time academics is very key in my success in life and I strive for my best in academics as well as sports and I would just like to tell the students and my friends, whosoever, academics come first and whatever you enjoy doing comes second and if you put your all into academics, you might be possible to get a scholarship or something so that is what I am striving for."
And as he strives for academic success he says what drives him to do so are his parents.
Travis Lennon,
"The thing that drives me the most is, I think it is for my parents, as well as myself, they've shown me a positive attitude throughout my whole life. They gave me love and this is something that I actually wanted to do for myself but as well I want to want to make them feel at home when they see their son achieving something as good as I have the ability to achieve, I think that will give them something nice."
And it is nice not only for Lennon. Principal of Wesley College Brenda Armstrong and ACP Jeffries say this kind of interaction between young people is the ideal.
ACP Crispin Jeffries,
"As we speak there is a young male person that is being sought for questioning in connection with a recent stabbing. That young person is not yet in police custody but rather a sibling and a parent are in custody. There was a stabbing incident last night and we believe that type of interaction is the type that we don't want. This is very positive and we can see hundreds of young persons who are potential role models and good upright citizens for the future. Yes this is the type of interaction we need.
This is a very apt program that can single out or identify those young persons, mainly young persons, who are actually on the right side of the law, not out there committing crime and setting good examples doing good things for the community, doing good things at home, and doing things for their colleagues."
Brenda Armstrong, Wesley College Principal
"It is a joy to be able to interact with them in a positive way, not that the times we have interacted before are not but this is one of those ways that can boost the image not only of the student who is the recipient of the award but the image that students have of the Police Department and I think it is a very positive thing."
Similarly honored today in the Cayo District was 2nd from Eden High School student Cynthia Perdomo. At the end of the school year, a board is empanelled to look a the best candidates fielded for the program. The best will win a computer and a two year scholarship to St. John's Junior College.
