'Amazing Acts of Character' Awards for Cumberland County Students

--Contributed by Renarta Clanton Moyd, Communications Specialist, Cumberland County Schools

Fayetteville – Each month through the school system’s character recognition program titled ‘Amazing Acts of Character,’ schools are asked to nominate students who display character above and beyond expected pleasant behavior.

Four students were recently selected from individual school nominations for displaying ‘Amazing Acts of Character’ and will be recognized and honored during the Cumberland County Board of Education meeting on January 8 in the Central Services building, located at 2465 Gillespie Street. The honorees are
as follows:

Davis Ryan, a kindergartener at Glendale Acres Elementary School, is one of the two elementary students chosen for the honor. According to his teacher, Nichole White, the five year old recently participated in the school pageant and won a $50 Target gift card to be used for personal school supplies. White said Davis purchased the school supplies and donated them to his Kindergarten classmates in need. “He thought about others before thinking of himself,” said White. “He (Davis) cared for other students by providing them with much-needed supplies.”

The second elementary school honoree is Aniaya Cox, a fourth grader at Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary School. The 10-year-old recently celebrated her birthday and her only wish was to be able to purchase the ingredients to bake cupcakes. According to her teacher, Elizabeth Humphries, Aniaya
baked 150 cupcakes and took them to Operation Inasmuch for their Birthday Friday’s celebration. “The people of Operation Inasmuch were overjoyed!” said Humphries. “Aniaya is a student who consistently goes above and beyond to help others, not just in school but in the community as well.” The non-profit
organization even highlighted Aniaya’s efforts in its newsletter in an article titled “A Child’s Sweet Gift.” An excerpt from the article reads: “Thank you, Aniaya. May you inspire other children to share their gifts of love and make this world a little bit sweeter.”

Jada McDowell, a 10th-grade student at Gray’s Creek High School (GCHS), is one of two high school students selected for the honor. According to Vernon Aldridge, the principal at GCHS, a student was choking on her lunch in the cafeteria and Aldridge and the other school administrators were rushing to her
aide. Once they arrived in the cafeteria, Jada had already begun performing the Heimlich maneuver on her classmate, dislodging the food. “The student [Jada] did not hesitate in jumping to help a fellow classmate choking,” said Aldridge. “In today’s world many people would rather stand and watch or ask others to
help rather than help out another person.”

Ryan Will, the second of two high school student honorees, is a 10^th grader at Massey Hill Classical High School (MHCHS). Dalileah J. Emami, a teacher at MHCHS, describes Ryan as having amazing leadership qualities. She said the 15 year old recently led the school’s breast cancer awareness march. According to Emami, he organized a fundraising event to support the Avon’s Fight Like a Girl cancer walk. All monies that were raised through the effort were donated to breast cancer awareness and research. Emami said that Ryan, who she describes as concerned, caring and compassionate, is always looking for ways to help others.