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May 2025 Top Winners
Our top ten winners were honored at the Gateway Center on May 15, 2025, joined by our Mistress of Ceremonies, First Alert 4 Anchor Taylor Holt, St. Louis County Police Department Captain Jerry Kelly, O'Fallon Illinois Police Chief Kirk Brueggeman, Glendale Police Chief Jeffrey Beaton, Bridgeton Police Chief Mark Mossotti, and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Lieutenant Colonel Renee Kriesmann.
Jewell Clayton
Mann Elementary School
St. Louis Public Schools
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Jewell was nominated by Julie Harwell, who shared this with us, “Jewell, who is fairly new to our school, found money on the floor and immediately turned it in to the nearest adult. Later that afternoon Jewell checked in to make sure the money had been returned to its rightful owner. Way to go Jewell!”
Carson Dahm
Douglas Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
AnnaLee Ekstrand, who submitted this nomination stated, “Our Tiger Families meet once a month to share and discuss our word of the month for our school. Carson is in my Tiger Family. He is always pleasant, eager to respond and participate in activities presented. At our last recent family meeting, Carson showed much concern and compassion for all those around him, students and teacher included. He asked if everyone was ok and showed true kindness and support to others. He was quick to participate in the cooperation activity provided and was eager to help share ideas about putting the "puzzle pieces" together. He was also willing to help glue and even come back the next morning with another friend, to finish putting the pieces together. Carson shows great compassion and character all around and sets a good example! Thank you, Carson and way, to go Douglas Tiger!!”
James Davis
Riverview Gardens High School
Riverview Gardens School District
St. Louis County Police Officer Jackson, who nominated James stated, “James is a Senior at Riverview Gardens High School, and I have seen so much growth with him this school year. James has become one of my favorite students at Riverview Gardens High with his charisma and willingness to help. James has shown a great deal of maturity this year regarding handling conflict. In the past he would take matter into his own hands, but now he uses his resources within the school. When he experiences conflict, he seeks counsel on how to resolve the conflict, which in turn leads to mediations. James has showcased his ability to do the right thing this semester by standing apart from the crowd. He has stepped up and stepped in while other students stand by and record. There were three fights this semester that James assisted in breaking up. His efforts prevented serious injury from occurring. He is known now as a junior safety officer in the school. James has not publicly declared his plans after graduation; however, he has showcased his great character, integrity and charm. James will be a great asset in any place of employment because he makes the conscious decision to do the right thing.”
Olive Dawson
Douglas Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Jacqueline Jarvis who nominated her stated, “Olive was struggling a bit in the first quarter of her kindergarten year. She was testing the boundaries of her teacher by doing the opposite of following the directions that were given, she was misusing her school tools and had many of them taken away on a regular basis, and she was seeking the attention of her peers with behaviors that were disruptive to lessons. However, I am EXTREMELY excited to announce that Olive has completely turned around her misbehavior! Now, if she occasionally needs a reminder of an expectation, she chooses to do the right thing. She has been mindful of her choices and actions every day for the last few months and has just met a very big goal of earning 50 Class Dojo points! I am so proud of how far Olive has come this year both as an academic student, and as a leader in our classroom. I am confident that she is going to rise to the challenge of first grade next year and continue to be a positive role model for others in her classroom and around our school.”
Jalon DeWalt
Jefferson Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
This young man was nominated by Marla Gibson who stated, “Jalon comes to school and offers his best, despite anything happening outside of school. He went through an extra tough period in November/December, but after putting a plan in place in January, he has consistently worked hard and smiled through his day each and every day to earn his end of the day reward, which is simply time with and praise from a beloved paraprofessional. Jalon embodies perseverance and self-discipline and is making me proud.”
Luna Dmitrasz and Orion Dmitrasz
Douglas Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Luna and Orion were nominated for this award by Jacqueline Jarvis who stated, “Luna and Orion are twins. They had never been to school before starting kindergarten, and the other students were already well into the swing of school before they joined our class. They were very timid and shy when they first came to Douglas, especially Luna, who did not want to speak at all. It was clear the two of them had an inseparable bond that was beyond sweet, and they were thankful to be doing this new and scary thing together. Orion was very nurturing to his sister, Luna, offering her comfort and reassurance that she sought from him. I adored watching the two of them together, a wonderful example of love, compassion, and empathy for my other students. I also very much wanted to see them both spread their tiny wings and become confident, independent, and comfortable, a part of our kindergarten and Douglas family.
I am thrilled to say they have blossomed immensely this school year! They are both active participants in our class discussions and activities, they are thriving in academics, they have made tons of friends, and they are confident and comfortable to do things apart from each other both in and out of our classroom. Not only that, but both Luna and Orion are top notch models for others in our school. They work hard and have positive attitudes, do what is right, are respectful and polite, and show kindness and caring to others. They are also incredibly humble, never seeking to get others in trouble, nor seeking praise for themselves. They will be attending their home school next year, but they will certainly continue to hold a special place in the hearts of those here at Douglas. I believe they will have an amazing start at another new school with the courage and self-reliance they've gained here.”
Emelia Hamrick
Delores Moye Elementary School
O'Fallon School District 90
Emelia was nominated by Lynae Vahle, who stated, “Our class was the home of a foster child for six months this school year. Due to many placements through his short life, he had some struggles with transitions from placement to placement, understandably. The students in my class showed as much grace as possible. Emmy, who is just an absolute doll, is friends with all and shows kindness in all she does. Her smile is infectious, and even when she has friends who say hurtful things to her, she brushes it off and carries on. I have had others come to me, because she would never tell on someone in fear that they would receive a consequence when all she wants to do is keep peace and harmony in her world. She is such a positive influence on others, and her friends can't help but gravitate and emulate her kindness.
I could go on and on but let me tell you what absolutely touched my heart. When our foster child left our class to go to another placement, I saw a handmade book on his desk that had his name and, "Please do not touch". I asked Emmy what it was and if he should take it with him. She told me that she made it for him to have a place to let out his frustrations and sadness. The inside cover said, "Use if angry or sad", and each page had an activity for him to do when he was dysregulated. There was a scribble or color page, a talk it out page where he can write about his feelings, a pick how you are feeling page, a goal page, a page to color, and a free style page where he can do what he chooses. For her to know how to deescalate him by providing him with activities to calm him is just amazing and so very inspirational as she continues to grow. She is such a compassionate, kind and accepting child who I would hope others would be inspired to be like. She has her own struggles in her little life, so for her to care so deeply how others feel and are handling struggles in their lives is something I feel she should be recognized for! Emmy always does the right thing with such little effort, because she is just an absolute gem, and I am so proud and honored to be a part of her journey!”
Noah Hardaway
Douglas Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Noah’s story came to us from Christine Todd. His nomination stated, “"A warm smile is the universal language of kindness." - William Arthur Ward.
This is a quote that describes Noah. Noah comes to school every day with a warm smile and a good morning. He is a kind friend to everyone in our school building.
Just the other day we were playing a multiplication game. Noah was up against another student in the class. Noah has his multiplication facts memorized and is very good about getting them right quickly. The other student knows their facts, but it takes some time for them to figure them out. Once Noah saw that he had several facts correct, he looked at me, smiled, and nodded so I knew why he wasn't answering them right away. He wanted that other student to feel successful in that moment. He let the other student answer several of them before he started answering again. You would have thought that he won right away with the smile on his face. He was proud that the other student was smiling too. Even though he won that round, he really won by being compassionate towards others. This is what he does every day to everyone he meets. He puts others before himself and is always thinking about how they feel. I feel very lucky to be his teacher this year and am able to watch an amazing student like Noah spread his kindness towards others.”
Jax Purviance
Douglas Elementary School
Belleville School District 118
Jax was nominated by Amy Jo Mueller, who stated, “Jax saw a teacher driving her car across our school field. As he walked across that same field, he found a piece of plastic that he was sure belonged to the teacher's car. He picked up that large piece of plastic and took it directly to the office with instructions to return it to the teacher. Jax's concern for the teacher was obvious to the office staff when he recounted the story to them. It's caring students like Jax that make us so proud to be Douglas Tigers! Jax is definitely a kid that's doing the right things! Way to go, Jax!”
Dexter Yoder
Delores Moye Elementary School
O'Fallon School District 90
Kelly Noser, who submitted this nomination stated, “The two jobs that involve making the most decisions each day are air traffic control and teaching. Being a teacher is such a fulfilling experience, but it can get a bit overwhelming at times. With 26 students asking questions and needing attention, I sometimes don't know which way to turn. That’s where Dexter comes in! He’s my trusty sidekick, always ready to lend a hand with tasks around the classroom, helping students who need a little extra support, celebrating those "aha!" moments with positive praise, and encouraging those who are still working through the lesson. Dexter is always the first to step up and help a friend or myself. When his peers are struggling either academically or socially, he jumps in to give them some positive affirmations. His kind nature and dedication have truly made a big difference in our class. He’s someone many people look up to. Dexter is always doing the right thing and going above and beyond, and sometimes he is overlooked for accolades, because people expect good things from him. I cannot think of a kid who needs an "atta boy" more than Dexter! At a time of year, when most ten-year-old boys are worried about their sports, hair, or coolness rating, he's always pushing himself to do his best, thinking about what the future holds. With his ambition and work ethic, I truly believe he’s headed for amazing things, and I am so happy I get to be a part of his journey.”
