North Main gives ‘Do the Right Thing’ honors to latest recipients

By Nancy Kriz

MONROE — North Main Elementary School presented the first “Do the Right Thing” awards for this school year to cap the school’s Red Ribbon Week activities last Friday.

The “Do the Right Thing” award is named to honor Highland Mills native Christian Lopez, who was praised by many—including the New York Yankees organization—for doing the right and honorable thing by returning the baseball to Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter when he got his 3,000th career hit, a home run, in July 2011.

Lopez was in the center of the regional and national sports media spotlight when he declined offers to sell the baseball, noting the ball rightfully belonged to Jeter. He was adamant in belief that Jeter should retain its ownership.

Lopez, who now lives in Astoria, but whose parents still live in Highland Mills, paid an unexpected visit to North Main last Friday to teach students about the importance of good decision making and always doing the right thing, especially if it’s not always popular. He stressed to students that they should apply these character traits to everything they do.

Lopez has cited his decision to do the right thing and return Jeter’s ball to him as the reason for the many good fortunes that subsequently came his way.

Lopez was recognized by many for his deed. Some of his college loans were paid off on his behalf, he received Yankees tickets for the balance of the 2011 season, got his own Yankees World Series ring, and accepted a job offered by Modell’s Sporting Goods to serve as a community ambassador.

This is Lopez’s third visit to the school, and he accepted an invitation by North Main administrators to play in the school’s Nov. 16 faculty basketball game to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

The recognition program will continue throughout this school year.