[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E853-E854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             1996 AAA SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL LIFESAVING MEDAL

                                 ______


                           HON. FRANK MASCARA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 21, 1996

  Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce to the House today 
the names of the three youngsters who are winners of the 1966 American 
Automobile Association Lifesaving Medal.
  This it is the highest award given to members of school safety 
patrols throughout the United States. It is presented to students who, 
while on duty, took heroic lifesaving actions to save the life of a 
fellow student from imminent danger.
  One of the young people being honored today is William ``Willy'' D. 
Mace, 10, who is from my district. Willy is a safety patrol member at 
Borland Elementary School, located in Canonsburg, PA.
  The other winners are Shane Lee, 11, of Cherry Run Elementary School 
in Burke, VA, and Esther Daniel, 11, of Trapnell Elementary School in 
Plant City, FL.
  Willy Mace, the young man from my district, was on his safety patrol 
job just 2 days last September when an emergency situation arose. Out 
of the corner of his eye, Willy spotted a Rambunctious 6-year-old 
dashing out into traffic to greet his father and brother who were 
standing across the street.
  Willy noticed a fast approaching car and screamed at the little boy 
to stop. Willy raced after the boy and, fortunately, grabbed the 6-
year-old and pulled him back out of the path of the on-coming car. The 
driver slammed on his brakes, narrowly missing the boys.
  Being the father of four children and the grandfather of six, I can 
almost hear the sighs of relief. Willy was an instant hero!
  Shane Lee also took heroic action, this time to save a 6-year-old boy 
who had darted back to a stopped school bus last October and was laying 
down in the road in front of one of the bus's front tires. It was 
unclear what the child was doing, but Shane, who was in charge of rear 
patrol for the bus, suddenly saw the child's legs, ran to the front of 
the bus and pulled the little boy back over the curb just as the bus 
was starting to move forward. Needless to say, the bus driver was very 
startled to suddenly see two faces pop up on the side of the bus and 
quickly stopped.
  It was a dark, rainy morning last October in Plant City, FL when 
Esther Daniel quickly recognized danger and raced to save a 5-year-old 
girl. The little girl, who had just left her bus, suddenly started 
crying. Thinking she had left her backpack on the bus, the little girl 
abruptly turned around and ran after the bus which by this time was 
about ready to turn back onto a main road. Thankfully, Esther chased 
the little girl and caught her and held her back just before the child 
reached the bus's rear wheel. Again thank goodness for clear-thinking 
safety patrol students!
  I also want to take a moment to thank the American Automobile 
Association for honoring these outstanding safety patrol members.
  In the 1920's AAA began organizing safety patrol programs whereby 
older students assist younger students with crossing streets to and 
from school. Today, more than 500,000 students across the country serve 
as AAA safety patrol volunteers and more than 50,000 schools have 
safety patrols.
  AAA supplies training materials, belts, badges and other items needed 
to operate the safety patrol programs. Importantly, AAA promotes and 
recognizes patrol efforts each year through a series of awards, 
newsletters, summer camps, and scholarships.
  On behalf of my colleagues, and parents all across the country, I 
want to thank AAA for its work in helping to keep our youngsters a 
little safer on their way to and from school.
  I am very proud of Willy, Shane, and Esther and know their parents 
and communities are also very pleased that three young people

[[Page E854]]

showed the courage necessary to save another's life. God bless each of 
you.

                          ____________________