Matthew Laud: Plantation Elementary School
By C. Ron Allen
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Age: 8

School: Plantation Elementary School

Grade: Second

Hometown:Plantation

Trait: Responsibility
After completing his assignments, Matthew Laud generally volunteers to help his peers who need some extra help, his teacher said. He can be trusted to go anywhere in the school with money and papers and to run other errands without straying.

Teacher, Linda Schmidt: "Matthew is kind, thoughtful and most respectful to students, teachers and other adults. This child is almost too perfect. You can hardly find anything wrong with him."

Parent, Shonnette Laud: "He is just the same way at home. He is very considerate. If I had to live my life over again, this is the son I want to have."

Matthew: "I usually do it because of my teacher. She is very nice. I mostly do it for her."

This is one in a series of stories on students who best exemplify the Broward County School District's eight character education traits -- cooperation, responsibility, citizenship, kindness, respect, honesty, self-control and tolerance -- and patriotism as part of all eight.

C. Ron Allen can be reached at crallen@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7917.