By Stan Karpf, GSAC Board Member
Submit questions or feedback online
The first Naples city council meeting of 2026 began with the “Do the Right Thing Presentation” sponsored this month by GSAC.
“Do the Right Thing” is a national program sponsored locally by the Naples Police Department, managed internally by Corporal Sean Phillips, and supported by long time Naples resident, Patrick O’Connor, who is Chairman of the Board.
This is how the program works.
Local residents nominate City of Naples kids for doing something exceptional or as the program is titled, “doing the right thing.”
There are unfortunately those who believe that the young people in our country do not do the right thing, this program celebrates that they do!
Every other month a presentation is held at a Naples City Council Meeting honoring those children selected by a “Do the Right Thing” board composed of local residents.
This month’s honorees include two Gulf View Middle School students that intervened when another student was harassing a young girl on the school bus making the girl feel uncomfortable. Kataleya and Mariana took turns blocking the seat on the bus next to the victim in an effort to stop the harassment. The actions of these two girls displayed maturity beyond their years and demonstrated both courage and resolve to help ensure that the student felt safe.
Their bravery and ability to “Do the Right Thing” without thinking twice demonstrated the immense character they possess.
The second recipient is an eighth-grade student at St Ann’s School.
She partners with her older sister to visit children in the Pediatrics Unit at NCH.
They offer free tutoring to the children and also raise money to purchase arts and crafts for the children to do while in the hospital.
Lucy and her sister call themselves the “Academic Angels.”
The third recipient is an Eagle Scout from Boy Scout Troop 2-Moorings Presbyterian Church.
For his Eagle Scout Project, he chose to restore and properly honor a burial area in Rosemary Cemetery known as Plot N, which is part of a historic African American burial site in Naples.
This young man raised $20,000 to place custom headstones, install a historical marker, and added a fence and a bench to improve the site’s appearance.
Johnathan’s efforts resulted in the land being designated a historical protected site.
“Do the Right Thing” since its inception in 2012 has honored over two hundred kids.
Anyone can nominate a child, those nominated must be a City of Naples resident. If you would like to nominate someone, go to the Naples Police Department APP, click “Do the Right Thing,” then click “Nominate a Child.”
A big thank you to all those involved in this terrific program. Just like those honored, we all need to remember to “Do the Right Thing!”
