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They continued to be celebrated and trumpeted by the police department with their Do The Right Thing Programme. The Award Ceremony was held today and Monica Bodden was there:

Monica Bodden Reporting
Out of 16 nominations from 7 high schools countrywide - 8 winners were selected for the do the right thing initiative.

It's the programs 6th year - and is a part of the Belize Police Department creative way of working with high school students. This youngster had to first be recognized by their principal or school counselor in order to become a nominee.

Commissioner Jefferies told us about the program.

Commissioner of Police Crispin Jefferies
"The "Do the Rait Thing Program" was launch about 6 years ago actually and we consider it very important - it's a part of our many intervention program. We had other programs in place prior to this one. We had a program that was call the "Youth First Offenders Program" that specific program was geared at looking at high school students - looking at young persons who are in conflict with the law and trying to work out some none-custodial - some arrangement for them to receive some sort of disciplinary sanction without being robbed of their opportunity to continue their education - robbed of their opportunity to be in an institution and that work for us. That is one of the many programs that we have under the "Community Policing" umbrella. when we saw the opportunity to target those people that are doing well but may need financial and other kind of assistance it was than that Commissioner Westby saw the functioning program on his visits to the United States and he talk about it and we discuss it and we said maybe this could work and we launch it and it has grown since then. It is one more of our many outreach program under the "Community Policing" umbrella that we believe that assist young person's financially, behavioral wise, keeping them of this side of the prison wall rather than that side. Keeping them on this side of the grave rather than that side and so on."

First place winner for the Do the right thing initiative went to Keenan Moguel of Independence High School. He received a scholarship to attend Sacred heart College in pursuit of his associate's degree. He also received a computer and a year free internet access along with one thousand dollars.

Today he was unable to be there to receive his award but his mother proudly accepted it on his behalf.

Mother of Keenan Moguel
"I am so proud to stand here and speak on behalf of Keenan but I wish he was here so that he could fill this room with is big bright smile. He is always smiling and always pleasant. Even though he is my son I could not think of anybody else who could have been justly awarded this "Do the Rait Thing" Keenan wants me to thank some people who have stood behind him and one of them especially is PC Alejandro Sho of the intermediate southern formation. He has been very instrumental in having Keenan get to the level of where he was able to get this award. Reading it many times over it brings the same reaction from me and all the members of my family who have read his submission which is incredible touching and I have to say thank God for somebody like Keenan who was able the hardships that we face. But he has dedicated most of this to my other son Keith who unfortunately pass away in 2009 from kidney failure and he has taken all these experiences that we have had and he look at it and he said mom we have to move forward with all this."

Second place winner was Bricilia Sanchez of New Hope High School in Orange Walk and 3 third place winner is Rolando Chub of Corazon Creek Technical High School. 8 of the winners all received awards and gift prices from a number of sponsors.

And if you are interesting in the do the right thing program, they are a list of criteria that have to be met.

Commissioner of Police Crispin Jefferies
"Basically the young person has to be in school, has to show a mark change in his lifestyle. Has to have committed to do good things and change his behavior both in school and outside of school - work in the community and work in the school. Do things that is showing that if fact there is a change in his attitude and behavior and is moving away from a life of anti-social and criminal behavior and show personal and social development."

And even though Belize City is the largest in population of young people, participation of the initiative was minimal to none.

Monica Bodden
"You think programs as such help in the reduction of crimes committed by youngsters?"

Commissioner of Police Crispin Jefferies
"It certainly does. I think the numbers of young persons in involve in criminal activity generally occurs at a later age. We can say that Belize City has the largest population density for young persons of a specific age group. Regrettably the program is not as successful in this area as in other area. we see the southern and northern part of Belize participating in the program. But there are certain cultural activities in these areas, Young person's let say in the north tend to go into family type work; farming, business work. Areas in the south there may not be much of that and so there is more time for other stuff. We are seeing a change in the educational opportunities and the challenges for young person's wanting to achieve a higher level of education. I was particularly impress that a young person from Corazon Creek got a laptop computer and already there is computer signals, so this may mean very little now but 10 years from now if you do a study you will see what the arrival of a laptop computer, the internet, the access of certain services in those areas will do for groups of young person's not to say that the institutions, the organizations don't have but the specific individual have it at home.. It may mean a difference for him in years to come."

It was the sixth annual "Do The Rait Thing" Ceremony.

This year a total of 16 nominations were obtained from 7 high schools countrywide and from the 16 nominees 8 winners were selected.