ALABASTER – Five students from Oak Mountain schools on Wednesday, Jan. 23, were recognized for displaying character and leadership.

The latest recipients of the Character in Action award were Isaac Booth of Oak Mountain Elementary School, Daniel Collins of Oak Mountain Intermediate School, Audrey McClain of Inverness Elementary School, Abby O’Dell of Oak Mountain Middle School and M’Kiyah Mitchell of Oak Mountain High School.

The Character in Action Award is a partnership between Shelby County Juvenile Court, the Shelby County District Attorney’s office, the Shelby County Drug Free Coalition, the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council, Family Connection, Shelby County Schools, Alabaster City Schools and Pelham City Schools.

The awards were presented before a Children’s Policy Council meeting at Family Connection, with family, friends and educators present.

Each school in the zone selected one recipient. SCS School Social Worker Emily Littrell read comments about each recipient that were submitted by teachers.

Comments about the students included:

• Booth: “Gets along well with other students. Very respectful to adults. Sense of humor. Truthful, fair, considers others’ feelings to play fair, follows the rules. Doesn’t give up or blame others for his mistakes. Keeps trying. Takes ownership of his work.”
• Collins: “I can give Daniel any task and know it will be handled to fidelity. Daniel was chosen by our counselors to hand out birthday cards to students each morning. This makes him a few minutes later than other students to class, but he always makes sure to complete his job and then his work. When he knew he would be out of school for our fifth grade camp trip, he arranged a ‘sub’ to come help all on his own!”
• McClain: “Audrey has leadership skills oozing out of her. She is well-rounded, kind, honest and works hard! We will hear about her as she leaves for OMIS! She will stand out!”
• Mitchell: “M’Kiyah gets the job done without prompting from adults. In fact, she keeps me on track. M’Kiyah has chosen to follow the right path, even when all her peers have chosen otherwise. She surrounds herself with people who lift her up.”
• O’Dell: “Abby is a P.E. helper for one of my students (special education class). I can not put into words how good it makes me feel to watch all eight of my students’ faces light up every time she walks into my room or passes them in the hallway. Two of my students are in her science class. Abby has a way of always making each of them feel part of the group. This ability to make people feel included no matter what their ability is a special gift for someone her age, and I treasure her and it for making all of us feel so special.”