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Tarpon Teen Recognized For Honesty

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BY KLINT LOWRY, SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF

Published: December 22, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Imagine you're a high school student. It's 9 a.m., and you're in algebra class, listening to the teacher explain X's and Y's when suddenly, three uniformed police officers come into the classroom, followed by the assistant principal.

Whoa, looks like somebody's day is about to take a sharp turn for the worse. But on the bright side, you get to see it happen.

But then you see there's one more person with the police – your mother.

Instantly, "Uh-oh," or more colorful words to that effect, would come to mind.

"He has no idea," Wesley Charpie's mother, Caroline Charpie, said moments before, as she and the police were approaching Wesley's classroom. In fact, she added, he had been out sick from school the day before, and she had taken him to the doctor to make sure he'd be better so this could happen in front of his classmates.

If Wesley, a freshman at Tarpon Springs High School, had a momentary panic attack at the intrusion, it was short-lived, as Capt. Jeffrey Young of the Police Department quickly explained that the teen was being honored for a recent act of honesty.

Young proceeded to describe the deed to Wesley's classmates.

Back on Nov. 9, Tarpon Springs was playing football against the Clearwater High School Tornadoes at Sponger Field. Wesley was at the game, and found a wallet on the ground outside the stadium.

The wallet, it turned out belonged to a Clearwater student. It contained the student's ID, credit cards, Social Security card and cash.

Instead of going on a spending spree, Wesley gave the wallet to Cpl. Steve Van Schaick, the officer in charge of the police contingent at the stadium. Van Schaick, in turn, found the wallet's owner, who was still at the game.

Van Schaick's report on the lost-and-found incident noted that the wallet's owner was thrilled that it had been turned in with all its contents intact, particularly as it had been found by someone from the opposing school.

Van Schaick, also impressed, related the incident to Police Chief Mark LeCouris, who agreed this was a noteworthy deed.

As he presented Wesley with a Citizen Letter of Recognition on behalf of the Police Department, Young put the incident into perspective.

"This is a tribute to his character and integrity," Young said. "What's the definition of integrity? It's what we do when nobody's watching. It's doing the right thing when nobody's looking."

Even after the fact, Wesley downplayed his actions. His mom said he only mentioned something to her about it in passing. It wasn't until the police contacted her that she knew the extent of what he'd done. This was one of the reasons she was happy to return the favor with this surprise in-school presentation.

After giving Wesley the letter of recognition, Young then presented him with another token of appreciation from the Police Department, a $50 gift certificate to the Gulf View Square Mall.

It was the department's way of showing Wesley and his classmates that while honesty is its own reward, it is a trait others appreciate, as well, Young said.

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