[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4659-S4660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE AAA SAFETY PATROL LIFESAVING MEDAL AWARD WINNERS

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I am proud to announce to the Senate 
today the names of the 7 young men and women who have been selected to 
receive the 1999 American Automobile Association Lifesaving Medal. This 
award is the highest honor given to members of the school safety 
patrol.
  There are roughly 500,000 members of the school safety patrol in this 
country, helping over 50,000 schools. Every day, these young people 
ensure that their peers arrive safely at school in the morning, and 
back home in the afternoon.
  Most of the time, they accomplish their jobs uneventfully. But, on 
occasion, these volunteers must make split-second decisions, placing 
themselves in harm's way to save the lives of others. The heroic 
actions of this year's honorees exemplify this selflessness, and richly 
deserve recognition.
  The first AAA Lifesaving Medal recipient comes from Rochester, New 
York.
  On September 22, 1998, 11-year-old Theodore Roosevelt Elementary 
School Safety Patrol Katherine Garcia was at her post in the back 
parking lot. She was helping create order out of the chaos that occurs 
when buses, walkers and parents all try to leave the school at the same 
time.
  Behind her post, a 9-year-old boy and his 7-year-old friend separated 
from his grandmother to look for their car. They tried to run past 
Katherine. As they did, she quickly reached out, grabbed the boys by 
their t-shirts, and pulled them out of the path of an oncoming car.
  This year's second AAA Lifesaving Medal honoree comes from Brooklyn, 
New York.
  On January 5, 1999, an 8-year-old student asked Public School 151 
Safety Patrol Anthony Christian, Jr. if he would walk him across the 
street.
  Leaving his post in the hands of his patrol partner, Anthony 
carefully checked the traffic signal and crossed the street. Just as 
they reached the other corner, two cars collided at high speed in the 
middle of the intersection. One of the cars spun out of control, 
heading directly for the two boys. Without regard for his own safety, 
Anthony pulled the little boy out of the way just before the car jumped 
the curb where the two boys were.
  The third AAA Lifesaving Medal winner comes from Unadilla, New York.
  On October 8, 1997, Unadilla Elementary School Safety Patrol Nichole 
L. Decker was at her post at the school's back door when she heard a 7-
year-old boy's desperate cries for help.
  When she went outside, she saw the boy trapped on the ground by a 
huge dog--a husky/wolf mix. The dog was biting at the little boy's face 
and throat. Without considering what the 50-pound dog could do to her, 
13-year-old Nichole began shouting and waving her arms to distract it 
from the boy. When the dog ran away, Nichole scooped up the badly 
bleeding boy and took him inside the school for help.
  The fourth recipient of the AAA Lifesaving Medal comes from Brooklyn, 
New York.
  On January 28, 1999, 10-year-old Public School 91 Safety Patrol 
Stacia Walker saw a car drop off a 5-year-old boy at school, then 
depart.
  Instead of entering the schoolyard, the little boy turned around and 
headed for a park across the street, Stacia ran to the little boy and 
stopped him just before he crossed the street in front of a car.
  This year's fifth AAA Lifesaving Medal honoree comes from Mt. 
Pleasant, Michigan.
  On September 2, 1998, 12-year-old Ganiard Elementary School Safety 
Patrol Michael T. Wiltsie was helping the adult crossing guard at the 
corner of Broadway and Adams streets, the busiest corner for patrols.
  The adult crossing guard had just walked to the center of the street 
to stop traffic when a 7-year-old boy walked around Michael's 
outstretched arms to follow her. A truck made a left-hand turn and 
passed between the adult crossing guard and Michael's post on the curb, 
ignoring the stop sign held by the adult crossing guard. Michael 
reached out, grabbed the 7-year-old boy by the backpack, and pulled him 
to safety just as the truck sped by.
  The fifth recipient of the AAA Lifesaving Medal comes from Fairfax, 
Virginia.
  On February 22, 1999, Fairhill Elementary School Safety Patrol 
Roxanne A. Bauland (BALL-lund) was standing at her post near a bus stop 
when she noticed there was something wrong with a 6-year-old girl 
approaching the bus stop from across the street.
  When the little girl began running toward the bus stop, the hard 
candy she had been eating became lodged in her throat, causing her to 
cough and choke. Quickly sizing up the situation, 11-year-old Roxanne 
performed the

[[Page S4660]]

Heimlich maneuver on the little girl and dislodged the candy from her 
throat, quite possible saving the little girl's life.
  The final AAA School Safety Patrol Lifesaving Award recipient comes 
from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  On November 2, 1998, 11-year-old Jenny Lind Community School Safety 
Patrol Tonya L. M. Boner was completing her shift for the day when she 
decided to wait a little longer to help some stragglers cross the 
street safely.
  Three students, ages 7, 9, and 10, began to cross the road. Across 
the intersection, a car stopped briefly at the stop sign, then headed 
straight for the crosswalk and the students. Seeing the immediate 
danger, Tonya hurried the students to the other side just as the car 
sped through the crosswalk a mere 2 feet from where she and the 
students had been walking seconds before.
  Mr. President, on behalf of the Senate, I extend congratulations and 
thanks to these young women and men who are visiting the Capitol today. 
They are an asset to their communities, and their families and 
neighbors should be very proud of their courage and dedication.
  I would also like to recognize the American Automobile Association 
for providing the supplies and training necessary to keep the safety 
patrol on duty nationwide.
  Since the 1920's, AAA clubs across the country have been sponsoring 
student safety patrols to guide and protect younger classmates against 
traffic accidents. Easily recognizable by their fluorescent orange 
safety belt and shoulder strap, safety patrol members represent the 
very best of their schools and communities. Experts credit school 
safety patrol programs with helping to lower the number of traffic 
accidents and fatalities involving young children.
  We owe AAA our gratitude for their tireless efforts to ensure that 
our Nation's children arrive to and from school safe and sound.
  And we owe our thanks to these exceptional young men and women for 
their selfless actions. The discipline and courage they displayed 
deserves the praise and recognition of their schools, their communities 
and the Nation.

                          ____________________