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A Red Ribbon Week celebration was held Wednesday evening at the Lee County Education Center in honor of Lee County’s drug-free children.
Dozens of students have been honored with five named recipients of the three highest honors for their efforts towards a drug-free Lee.
The recipients of the Al Oerter Award for Academic and Athletic Excellence, which is nominated in the boys and girls categories, were Keon Anderson from Island Coast High School and Lucy Casto-Waters from Cape Coral High School.
The recipient of the Jim Nathan Leadership Award was Carson Mulvey of Dunbar High School.
The recipients of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Service to Our Nation Award were Adam Larochelle of Cypress Lake High School and Brittanie Wisniewski of Bonita Springs High School.
“These are children who are engaged and successful in activities and academics who use positive behaviors to prevent substance abuse.” said Mary Fischer, school board member and board member of the Lee County Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida of the Nominees and Honors. “They do the things that are healthy and make a positive contribution to the community. Prevention is the key. “
She said the student athletes and artists were selected by teachers and administrators and recommended to Executive Director Deborah Comella.
Comella said nominations will be reviewed by members of the community for the various awards. Cathy Oerter will select recipients of the Al Oerter Award, Lee Health will select the Jim Nathan Award, and a group from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office will select the Service of Our Nation Award.
The 19th annual Al Oerter Award for Academic and Athletic Excellence is named in memory of Al Oerter, a four-time Olympic champion. The award-winning students embody his philosophy of excellence in an individual sport, academics and commitment to community service and a drug-free lifestyle.
The Jim Nathan Leadership Award was created to honor an outstanding student leader in Lee County.
The Service to Our Nation Award 2021 is presented to a student who has served as a member of ROTC or Explorers for at least 12 months and who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment to academic excellence, community and a drug-free lifestyle.
“I think it helped the students because it encouraged these activities and behaviors that keep them on a positive path. They get involved in things that cost time and energy and that enlarge their social circles. “ said Fischer. “The Red Ribbon Award and its awareness is a catalyst in getting communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug-free activities.”
Fischer said the goal is to stick with their Red Ribbon theme in 2021. “Looks like me drug free.”
Fischer said the coalition was formed in 1989 by Nathan, the former CEO and President of Lee Health.
“We tried to remind everyone to make a daily contribution to their communities by doing their best by living drug-free.” said Fischer. “I’ve been with them since 2000. I worked at the Studentenwerk and was hired to take part in the Drug House Odyssey. It’s great because the coalition is exactly what its name suggests. (It’s) involved with over 20 different agencies in the community … the judicial system, law enforcement, the hospital … they all work with the coalition to promote positive drug-free behavior. “
She said the Drug House Odyssey has been going on for 30 years.
“I don’t think it would have taken this long if it hadn’t had a positive effect. It’s a whole community effort that comes together to help young people stay healthy and positively busy. “ said Fischer.
With the pandemic, the Drug House Odyssey switched to a video format that was made available to all schools last year.
Al Oerter Award for Academic and Athletic Excellence nominees:
girl
Melissa Archer (Bonita Springs High School)
Guiliana Carlini (Foreign High School)
Baker (Lucy) Castro-Waters (Cape Coral High School) – recipient
Julianne Cunard (Cypress Lake High School)
Ezarya Dale (Dunbar High School)
Courtney Dingerson (Ida S. Baker High School)
Heidi Kinsey (Fort Myers High School)
Genavieve Molloy (North Fort Myers High School)
Ashley Rodriguez (South Fort Myers High School)
Laci Roszell (Riverdale High School)
Stephanie Snyder (Mariner High School)
Jasmine Vasquez (Riverdale High School)
Al-Oerter Prize for academic and athletic excellence
guys
Keon Anderson (Island Coast High School) – recipient
Carson Dougherty (South Fort Myers High School)
Paul Flores (Gateway High School)
Keelan Fort (Estero High School)
Jayden Franklin (Cape Coral High School)
Rowen Fricke (Riverdale High School)
Jacob Fritz (Ida S. Baker High School)
Caden Jakacki (Mariner High School)
Ivan Marin-Padilla (Dunbar High School)
Roland Colsen Palmer (Fort Myers High School)
Nekhi Perry (North Fort Myers High School)
William Perry (Bonita Springs High School)
Vincent Stoll (Cypress Lake High School)
Jim Nathan Leadership Award
Savannah Braun (Mariner High School)
Quinn Campbell (Fort Myers High School)
Gabrielle Ceurvels (Bonita Springs High School)
Annabel Crater (Cypress Lake High School)
Ayin Cruz (Gateway High School)
Alexandra Davidson (North Fort Myers High School)
Hayden German (Estero High School)
Kenise Jackson (Dunbar High School)
Natalee Jones (Cape Coral High School)
Carson Mulvey (Dunbar High School) – recipient
Jose Manuel Roa (Riverdale High School)
Deylysia Smart (East Lee County High School)
Kaiden Wells (Mariner High School)
Lee County Sheriff’s Clerk Service for Our Nation’s Prize
Austin Arthur (Estero High School)
Jacob Bilancione (Cape Coral High School)
Abigail Fleuridor (Dunbar High School)
Alexis Gifford (Mariner High School)
Adam Larochelle (Cypress Lake High School) – recipient
Nancy Morales (South Fort Myers High School)
Benjamin Records (Fort Myers High School)
Justin Rodriguez (Gateway High School)
Arthur Smith, Jr. (East Lee County High School)
Morgan Thynes (Ida S. Baker High School)
Brittanie Wisniewski (Bonita Springs High School) – recipient
Ryan Ziegler (North Fort Myers High School)
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