Straughn High School’s November Character in Action recipient has a big heart for children with special needs.

SHS senior Sheridan Wright has volunteered with Miracle League for the past four years, in hopes of ending the bullying that she has seen children with special needs suffer.

“I see kids at our school being pretty rude to the kids with special needs,” Wright said. “So I met a person at my mom’s work and she had a son named Tanner who had special needs. She then asked me to start helping with Miracle League. I started helping in ninth grade and have been doing it ever since. Now I even babysit a little girl with Down Syndrome.”

Wright spends most of her days after school helping with Miracle League.

“I usually just spend time with the kids,” Wright said. “I help them run bases, hit and catch.”

She said that the best thing about helping the children is seeing the children enjoy themselves.

“They can have fun and not worry about what other people think,” Wright said.

Along with Miracle League, Wright also helps with the Miracle League Pageant.

“It is really fun to dress the girls up,” Wright said. “Being able to make the kids feel pretty and feel good about themselves is what it is all about.”

She also helps with the Miracle League Fall Festival.

“It was around Halloween,” Wright said. “So all of the children got to dress up and get candy. It was a great time.”

Wright said that she was completely shocked to receive this award.

“At first I thought that I was in trouble whenever I got called to the office,” Wright said. “But then when Mr. Powell told me, I was completely shocked. It feels good to receive this award though.”

Wright said that several people have encouraged her to go into the special education field, and she said that she is going to do just that.

“I hope to become a special education teacher,” Wright said. “So many people tell me that I need to keep on pursuing this so I plan to.”

Wright plans to attend LBW Community College in the fall and then transfer to Huntington College to earn her bachelor’s degree in special education.

She is the daughter of Sherry and Tommy Wright.

The Covington County Children’s Policy Council sponsors the Character in Action Award at Straughn High School. Examples of exceptional character include helping a fellow student in need, displaying kindness to someone who is hurting, cutting an elderly neighbor’s grass, planning a fundraiser for a needy family or volunteering at a nursing home.

One student a month is selected from Straughn High School and receives $50.