This morning the Police Department Community Policing Unit held its 8th annual Du Di Rait Ting Award Ceremony at the Princess. 26 high school students were nominated countrywide throughout the year and that was narrowed down to only 10 students who were singled out for special distinction.
And as the name says, these students have been doing the right thing and setting a high standard for others to follow.
Sr. Supt. Louise Willis - O/C, Community Policing
"This morning we're having the 8th National 'Du Di Rait Ting' awards ceremony. We had 23 students nominated country wide and from that we had 10 top winners. From schools who participated in the Du di rait ting program during the year of 2013."
Monica Bodden
"Can you tell us how the program works?"
Sr. Supt. Louise Willis
"The program was implemented in 2006 by the then commissioner, Gerald Westby, who went to Dade County and saw what was happening there and came back to Belize and implemented the program. The program has strict rules - they must maintain a high grade, they must turn their lives around, they must act exemploary in school, they must be in a position where they are assisting the community and assisting their school in some sort of community project."
Monica Bodden
"Could you just tell me how you got involved in the program?"
Dexter Hernandez - 4th Form student
"A teacher invited me to try in it and he gave me a form and I fill it out and he helped me with it and I gave it back and he delivered it for me. Now I am the winner of the program - my family are single parents so I go and sell panades for my mom and that helped me through Primary school and High school and now I got an opportunity so I'm glad for it."
The top 10 winners are 1st Place - DEXTER HERNANDEZ of Independence High School
2nd Place - MONICA McKOY of Independence High School
3rd Place - GILBERT ZETINA of St. Ignatius High School
4th Place - YVON NORALEZ of Caye Caulker Ocean Academy
5th Place - AMBER WILLIAMS of Independence High School
6th Place - SHAQUILLE PALACIO of Independence High School
7th Place - ADRIAN FLORES of Agriculture & Natural Resources Institute (ANRI)
8th Place - HAMMON LEMOTH of Belmopan Baptist High
9th Place - WHITLEY AGUILAR of Caye Caulker Ocean Academy
10th Place - RUBI MAYEN of Belmopan Baptist High
They will receive either a full scholarship to a tertiary Institution of Belize, a laptop, a netbook or a monetary Award.
