Page 6 - AAA Central Penn – AAA Now! September/October 2015

AAA
AAA MEMBERSHIP
The AAA School Safety Patrol Program –
TM
95 Years of Safety and Leadership
By Kevin Adams
Photo from: AAA Traffic Safety
The belt colors may have changed over the years -- from white to orange to today’s fluorescent green -- but the mission of the AAA School Safety Patrol remains the same: To provide leadership opportunities and a safe environment for millions of schoolchildren.
What began as a small, boys-only initiative is celebrating its 95th year in 2015. Since its humble beginning, the AAA-sponsored patrol has become the world’s largest safety program. Today, more than half a million male and female patrollers in the U.S. dedicate their time before and after each school day to ensure the safety of their classmates.
“AAA School Safety Patrol plays an important role in helping young pedestrians learn and fulfill responsibilities regarding traffic safety,” said AAA Traffic Safety Advocacy Project Manager Rhonda Shah. “Millions of U.S. boys and girls have honorably served their classmates since the program began in the early 1920s, and interest in the program has spread around the world.”
Other countries – including England, France, Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand – have adopted the AAA model.
AAA provides patrollers an array of equipment and educational material – including belts, patrol badges and training resources – for the program, which has been praised by safety and education groups for reducing deaths and injuries among 5-to-14-year-olds, the age group most at risk for pedestrian injury.
The program also teaches lifelong lessons of good citizenship, leadership and responsibility. Past patrollers have grown up to be U.S. presidents or vice presidents (George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden), astronauts, governors, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices,
and Olympic medalists. Many ex-patrollers serve as educators, executives, physicians and other community leaders.
“AAA is very proud not only of our patrollers, but also the school personnel who administer the program, and law enforcement officials who contribute to patrollers’ success in local communities,” Shah said.
The AAA School Safety Patrol Lifesaving Award is the highest award given to patrol members. Since 1949, 411 lifesaving medals have been presented to patrollers who, while on duty, have saved the life of another person in imminent danger. As the program approaches its 100th anniversary, AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety will continue to partner with
the Charles M. Hayes Advancement Fund, which provides resources to approximately 10 schools per year to advance existing patrol programs or develop new ones.
Photo from: AAA Traffic Safety
“AAA values our longstanding sponsorship of the program,” Shah said.
“In addition to keeping children safe, it helps build meaningful relationships in communities across the country; this community investment is what
AAA stands for.”
Did you serve on AAA’s School Safety Patrol? To commemorate the 95th anniversary, AAA members are encouraged to submit their photos to: SchoolSafetyPatrol@national.aaa.com
About the Author: Kevin Adams is a freelance writer based in Orlando, Florida, and writes for multiple AAA publications.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
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