From AAA
You know those 5th graders who wear the neon green safety belts to their Elementary Schools? They’re part of the AAA School Safety Patrol® program. AAA created this program more than 100 years ago to help fellow students make it to class safely. Patrollers provide students with an extra sense of safety and security as they travel to and from school. In exchange, Patrollers learn life-long lessons about leadership, responsibility, and good citizenship.
Every year, AAA recognizes one outstanding patroller from each state. From that group, one student is then selected to be the Nationally recognized AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year.
This year, Eliza Odom of Diplomat Elementary School in Cape Coral was named both the Florida and National “AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year” for the 2022-23 school year. She is one of thousands of Florida students who participated in the AAA School Safety Patrol program this year and it is a huge accomplishment for Eliza to win both recognitions.
In addition to her Patrol duties, Eliza Odom regularly mentors young students, raises funds for charitable causes, and participates in local volunteer activities, including helping at a local food distribution site after Hurricane Ian wreaked massive damage to her Cape Coral community.
“Participating in my AAA Safety Patrol helped me to be more responsible, to be a better rule follower, and to be a good role model,” Odom said. “Being a safety patroller helps me to be more organized and prepared for life. I think being a safety patroller has been a great opportunity, and I’ve enjoyed doing it.”
“Eliza Odom is a tremendous representative of the AAA School Safety Patrol program and very deserving of this award,” said Michele Harris, Florida Public Affairs Director, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “She exemplifies the type of leadership qualities and safety skills of a great safety patroller. We are so proud of Eliza’s contributions and are thrilled to have her represent the program by also receiving the national high honor of AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year.”
Nominees were asked to submit an essay demonstrating how they went above and beyond to keep themselves and others safe and improve peers’ well-being. Judges reviewed each applicant’s leadership qualities, safety skills, school involvement, and dedication to citizenship and volunteerism.
The AAA School Safety Patrol program is the largest safety program in the world! Each year, more than 679,000 children participate at over 35,000 schools throughout the country. For over 100 years, AAA has sponsored the AAA School Safety Patrol program, which instills students with a sense of responsibility, leadership and citizenship. AAA provides an array of equipment and material, including electric-lime fluorescent belts, nickel plated steel badges and training for the AAA School Safety Patrollers. When properly uniformed and trained, they can assist their grade school classmates by ensuring their safety to and from school every day. The program has been praised by safety and education groups around the globe for reducing injuries and deaths among 5-to-14 year olds, the age group most at risk for pedestrian injury. In addition to keeping students safe, the program teaches lifelong lessons of responsibility, leadership and good citizenship. AAA School Safety Patrol members are school-sponsored student volunteers from upper elementary grades, middle and junior high schools. Patrollers direct children, not traffic. As school-age leaders in traffic safety, patrol members teach other students about traffic safety on a peer-to-peer basis. They also serve as models for younger children, who look up to them.
School Safety Patrollers:
- Complete training in traffic safety.
- Protect students from hazards of crossing roads and highways on their way to and from school.
- Assist bus drivers in safely transporting students to and from school.
- Teach fellow students about traffic safety.
- Serve in other leadership roles under the direction of school officials.
Typically, teachers and principals appoint patrol members, who participate with parental approval. A teacher usually serves as the patrol advisor. Local law enforcement officers may also be involved with patrols. Click here to learn more.
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America with more than 13 million members across 14 U.S. states, the province of Quebec and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 62 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
