2 Maud Williams High Boys Rewarding for Doing the Right Thing
Two students were recognized for doing the right things at their school. Darwin Beaton and Ashton Vernon were not always walking the straight and narrow, but when they got some help, they turned their lives around. And now, they have become leaders in their schools and community. Today, a short ceremony was held to reward the boys with the “Du Di Rait Ting” award. News Five’s Andrea Polanco tells us more about the two awardees.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Darwin Beaton and Ashton Vernon each received the “Du Di Rait Ting” award today. The two students were recognized for setting the example at their institutions and in their community. ASP Ornell Dominguez tells us why this kind of initiative is critical to the Belize Police Department’s community policing.
Ornell Dominguez
ASP Ornell Dominguez, Deputy Commander Precinct 1, BPD
“Most of these children that are recognized, I have never heard anything negative of them in the community after they have been recognized.”
Andrea Polanco
“What are some of the things the Police Department looks at to say this student is deserving of the Du Di Rait Ting award?”
ASP Ornell Dominguez
“They look at the obedience of the child. They look at how he intermingles with his classmates, also how he intermingles in the community and how he tries to keep a good record. From time to time, some of the children do slip and those are the ones we keep close. They are engaged in the mentorship program among other community policing issues and the youth corp. I must not forget that that the Police Department has a Youth Cadet and they sometimes are a part of that. So, all of these things put together in a positive way. The Police recognize the person and with the faculty they come up with the person for the Du Di Rait Ting.”
Andrea Polanco
“ASP, when we have these young people doing the right things in their schools, in their communities; how does this help the Police Department in your own community policing initiatives?”
ASP Ornell Dominguez
“Well, generally, it helps us both ways. It helps us for them to be a better student and to mold other young people to be a better person in the community and as well as for generally, a citizen for Belize to keep doing the right thing.”
Beaton is a first form student here at the Maud Williams High School. Today, he received the “Du Di Rait Ting’ award for December 2017. He admits that he wasn’t always the leader he has become. He had dropped out of school, but an early intervention helped him to get back into high school where he has perfect attendance, is on the honor roll and serves as a class vice-president. He tells us how he did it.
Darwin Beaton
Darwin Beaton, Awardee
“Before I neva like to listen to nobody. I was always on the bad track. Until I said that is not me and I want to change because I wasn’t into that lifestyle.”
Andrea Polanco
“Was there a specific incident that or one thing that made you decide that you need to change your life?”
Darwin Beaton
“When I had dropped out of school and I stopped school. I decided that I nuh wah deh on the street because that dah nuh fi me. I attend school every day. I don’t have an absence on my report card. I pass high with first place in class and on the honor roll. I just gained leadership skills and everybody look up to me inna my class.”
Andrea Polanco
“What about in your community? Is it hard to do the right the thing in your community?”
Darwin Beaton
“Yes. It is very difficult. In my community trouble always there but you need to stay far from it and you need to stay busy or trouble will follow you.”
Vernon, the awardee for the month of September 2017, is a former student of Maud Williams High and is now studying at the ITVET. The sixteen-year-old says that while it hasn’t been easy to do the right things, it is worth it.
Ashton Vernon
Ashton Vernon, Awardee
“It was kinda hard. There was some distractions like a couple of my friends in the community. So, it was kind of a struggle but I managed to get through it. I had to keep my head on my body and stay focused.”
Andrea Polanco
“Why did you decide you will start doing the right things? Is it because of the things you’ve been seeing in your community?”
Ashton Vernon
“Well, lately too much violence di happen inna the community. The new generation di tek over and so more youths di dead. I nuh like that and so we have to stop the killing and put down the guns.”
Teacher William Jones of the Maud Williams High School hopes these teenagers will be an example to others.
William Jones
William Jones, Teacher, Maud Williams High School
“I am happy to present Darwin for the simple fact that he is a male; a young male getting this award. This doesn’t make Darwin soft or easy or anything. It just shows that we are made for a purpose, not for destruction. But for a higher purpose that God has fashioned you to be; to always help in your community and to be respectful; and to always lead others down the right path.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
