Ashira Casanova: Driftwood Elementary
By C. Ron Allen
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Age: 8

School: Driftwood Elementary, Hollywood

Grade: Second

Hometown:Hollywood

Trait: Kindness
Ashira Casanova is always willing to help her teachers and classmates at Driftwood Elementary School. She helps struggling peers with their work, she stands up for those who are being picked on and she includes students who are being left out, her teacher said.

Guidance counselor, Linda Justin: "Ashira seems to understand how another person feels and does what is necessary to help with the situation."

Parent, Dora Casanova : "I am a very proud mom. Ashira has two siblings who have autism and she is the light of our life. She is the one who consistently tries to make everything comfortable for us. She is always trying to make it right."

Ashira Casanova: "It's not fair for them to pick on those kids. They are all special in one way."

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.