[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S5388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AAA SCHOOL SAFETY PATROLLERS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to recognize several young people who 
were recently selected by the American Automobile Association to 
receive special awards for their work as school safety patrollers.
  More than 560,000 students in 52,000 schools across the country 
participate in AAA's School Safety Patrol Program. These young people 
have taken on the important responsibility of making the streets around 
their schools safer for their classmates. Though their responsibilities 
are often routine, the patrollers on occasion must place themselves in 
harm's way in order to save lives. It is my honor today to recognize 
two students who were selected to receive the AAA Lifesaver Award for 
their selfless and heroic actions in fulfilling their duties as 
patrollers.
  Taylor Pitzer and Caleb Jarrell participate in the AAA School Safety 
Patrol Program at Southdale Elementary in Kettering, OH. On November 8, 
2006, Taylor and Caleb pulled a younger child to safety when a speeding 
van ran the red light at the intersection they were patrolling. The 
younger child was watching carefully for the ``walk'' signal. When the 
light changed, she began crossing the street and did not notice the 
oncoming vehicle approaching the intersection. Responding to an adult 
guard's ``hold back'' indication, Taylor and Caleb reacted quickly by 
locking arms so the child could not cross the street, which allowed the 
van to speed by without incident or injury to the child.
  I would also like to thank AAA for making the school safety program 
possible. This program has helped save many lives over the years and 
has made our schools safer for our students, though, as the story of 
the Life Saver Award recipients demonstrate, the streets around our 
schools are not safe enough. That is why I worked to create the 
national Safe Routes to School Program, which was adopted as part of 
the Federal transportation bill on July 29, 2005. Funds for this 
program can help communities construct new bike lanes, pathways, and 
sidewalks, as well as launch Safe Routes education and promotion 
campaigns in elementary and middle schools.
  I am pleased to commend this important program today before the 
Senate. I know I speak for every member of the Senate in expressing our 
gratitude for their valuable work in our communities.

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