Email

Print

Last week Gwen Lizarraga High School received bad news when one of its recent graduates Dorrell Williams was gunned down in Monday night’s wild shooting spree on the Boulevard. But today the school got some good news when one of its students was chosen as January’s winner of the Do the Right Thing Award. The announcement was made this morning and 7News was there.

Keith Swift Reporting,
Gilroy Arnold sits at the front of his fourth form class at Gwen Lizarraga High School because in a sense – he is a head of the class.

Richard Staine, Homeroom Teacher
“Gilroy is a real hard worker, I think he doesn’t give up too easily and he tries, he gives his heart to whatever he is asked to do. He is a person that is very committed, you can ask him to do anything and he is reliable so you can depend on him very much.”

And that is why Gilroy won January’s Do the Right Thing award. He says he has come a long way.

Gilroy Arnold, Do the Right Thing Winner
“When I was in primary school I was a horrible person – threatening teachers, being sent home two to three times per week, and once I reached high school I noticed a big change. I was never sent home because of a teacher because when I stepped foot into high school I realized it was time for me to settle down and behave myself. As I say when you look at the south side of Belize City it is not a good sight.”

Keith Swift,
“How do you feel to have won the award for January?”

Gilroy Arnold,
“Well I feel good because when it comes to young men, they don’t have the mind to say they will do the right thing, they will just go on a negative side and do what they are not supposed to do.”

And in Doing the Right Thing, Gilroy has earned the respect of his teachers and peers.

Richard Staine,
“I think he deserved the award, he worked for it. He told me from a long time that he was going to make sure he gets one of those awards because he knows he is a very good person.”

Keith Swift,
“What do you think other students can learn from him?”

Richard Staine,
“The idea that if they want it, they can go and get it. He told me he would get it and went out there and did his best and he got it. So other students can do the same thing, if they want it, it is there for them.”

Keith Swift,
“What do you think other young persons can learn from yourself?”

Gilroy Arnold,
“They just need to follow me, just that. Just look at the way how I carry myself in a mannerly way. Just be real about everything. I just want to give advice to young youths like myself especially that they need to live their lives and make a change because if you look at the south side of Belize City, it is not necessary to have the amount of crime taking place. So I encourage them to do the right thing.”

Along with the certificate, Gilroy Arnold won a t-shirt and a chance to win a sixth form scholarship at the end of the school year. This week is also drug awareness week at the Gwen Lizarraga High School.