This month’s Do The Right Thing awards honored three students who attend schools in Miami Lakes. Miguel Barrios and Matthew Diaz of Miami Lakes Middle School and Jeremy “JJ” Matthews of Bob Graham Education Center are among students honored each month for making good decisions at their schools.
Do the Right Thing of Miami, Inc. and City of Miami Police recognized Miguel and Matthew for telling their physical education teacher that a student brought a taser and a knife to school.
“Together with the school resource officer, they were able to immediately identify the student and proper interventions were put in place,” Ariadna Espinosa, executive director of Do The Right Thing of Miami, Inc. said at a ceremony on Oct. 19. Due to the students’ actions, no one was hurt.
Jeremy won for his fundraising activities to help the Mystic Force Foundation. He raised $50,000 for pediatric cancer. Jeremy can empathize with kids who have the illness because he is a survivor of retinoblastoma, which affected his vision.
“Most recently, he lost a dear friend to pediatric cancer and realized he wanted to make a difference,” Espinosa said. Jeremy grew his hair and shaved it months later to help raise awareness. At the Sept. 12 town council meeting, Miami Lakes elected officials awarded a proclamation to him.
All three winners received a tablet; a plaque; a free Papa Johns pizza; an Amazon gift card; two tickets to a Miami Marlins game; tickets to Zoo Miami and rides aboard Island Queen Cruises. They also received letters from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Miami and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Naples.
In the first photo: Papa Johns Mascot Mr. Slice; Miami Police Asst. Chief Richard Perez; Frank Diaz, Matthew’s father; Police Chief Manuel Morales; Do the Right Thing Vice President Juanita Walker; Matthew Diaz; Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas; Jean Eldor, Physical Education Teacher at Miami Lakes Middle School (back row); Carlos Barrios, Miguel’s father; Miguel Barrios; Central Region Supt. Dr. Michael A. Lewis and Miami-Dade Police South Division Chief Gina Beato-Dominguez.
Second photo: From left: Papa Johns Mascot Mr. Slice; Cindy Iturmendi, teacher, Bob Graham Education Center; Do the Right Thing Vice President Juanita Walker; Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas; Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales; Jeremy Matthews; his parents Jackie Matthews and Brad Matthews; Central Region Supt. Dr. Michael A. Lewis; Miami-Dade Police South Division Chief Gina Beato-Dominguez and Asst. Police Chief Richard Perez.
Courtesy photos.