[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 5976-5977]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL LIFESAVING AWARD RECIPIENTS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to show my appreciation for the 
actions of seven young Americans who make up this year's School Safety 
Patrol Lifesaving Award recipients as chosen by the American Automobile 
Association. In 1920, the American Automobile Association, AAA, began 
the School Safety Patrol Program in hopes of promoting traffic safety 
amongst school children. The AAA School Safety Patrol Program has been 
awarding its highest honor, the Lifesaving Award, to those patrollers 
who have acted to save the life of another since 1949. This year, seven 
heroic school safety patrollers are receiving this award, and it is my 
honor to recognize their courageous actions.
  On February 2, 2011, Paul Hardin, a fifth grader at Canterbury Woods 
Elementary School in Annadale, VA, averted a possible tragedy by 
preventing an adult female pedestrian from stepping out into oncoming 
traffic. When the pedestrian approached the crosswalk, Paul verbally 
warned her to stop. She ignored Paul's warning and continued walking 
into the crosswalk at which time Paul stepped off the sidewalk and 
grasped the woman's arm to prevent her from crossing. An approaching 
car was within 5 feet of the crosswalk. Paul put the safety of a parent 
before his own in his heroic effort to prevent a dangerous situation.
  Marisha Little and Sierra Walters, safety patrollers at Ranson 
Elementary School in Ranson, WV, worked together to save the life of a 
kindergarten student who wandered away from the school heading toward a 
major road crossing. This life saving incident that occurred on January 
18, 2011, was the first of two that Marisha Little took part in at 
Ranson Elementary. The patrollers remembered seeing the student walking 
alone away from the school and became worried when they no longer had 
him in sight. After alerting her safety patrol advisor, Sierra left her 
post to find him. Sierra found him and brought him back to the post 
where she instructed him to stand behind Marisha. Shortly after, he 
darted into the street in the path of an oncoming car when he saw his 
aunt approaching the school area. Marisha jumped into action, grabbed 
him and pulled him back to the sidewalk. Their keen awareness and quick 
thinking brought him back to school and prevented him from being hit by 
the car.
  Marisha Little and Talyn Underwood were credited with the second life 
saving incident at Ranson Elementary School in the same month. On 
January 31, 2011, they prevented a second grade student from being 
struck by a moving vehicle. The student was horsing around, talking to 
his friends while running backwards into oncoming traffic. Marisha and 
Talyn noticed that the vehicle driver closest to the student was 
looking in the other direction. Marisha and Talyn screamed loudly to 
alert the student at the same time working their way toward him. Talyn 
reached him first and pulled him by his jacket from the direct path of 
the moving car. Both students were very quick to respond and didn't 
think about their own safety in their effort to save their fellow 
student.
  Kamryn Mendell is a safety patroller at the Fox Chapel Elementary 
School in Germantown, MD. On September 28, 2010, during morning patrol 
duties, Kamryn immediately reacted when she realized that a first grade 
student was beginning to walk into the pathway of

[[Page 5977]]

a school bus that was turning into the school's bus loop. Kamryn and 
her partner were holding back students from crossing when Kamryn's 
partner had to step away to remove a cone to allow the bus to enter the 
loop. Kamryn kept the children from crossing with one hand and reached 
out to grab the first grader who was now 4 to 5 feet in front of the 
bus. The bus driver didn't see him and continued driving into the loop. 
Kamryn's fast thinking and immediate actions averted a certain life 
threatening injury.
  Evan Siegel, a safety patroller at Salmon Creek Elementary School in 
Vancouver, WA, saved a 7-year-old girl from being hit by an oncoming 
car. On a December morning in 2010, Evan noticed a car approaching the 
intersection. It was driven by a teenager who was texting and totally 
unaware that the little girl had entered the crosswalk without 
permission. Evan reacted quickly by putting his crosswalk stick in 
front of her and pulling her to safety. At the time the car was 10 feet 
away from her and the driver was not slowing down. Evan's courage and 
quick actions are to thank for keeping this young girl safe.
  Jake Vowell, a fifth grader at George B. Carpenter Elementary School 
in Park Ridge, IL, is credited with saving the life of a 6-year-old 
student on February 2, 2010. He was on morning patrol duty, when two 
cars failed to stop at the stop sign when Jake noticed a young girl 
attempting to cross the street. He bravely went out into the street and 
pulled her back to safety. His dedication and awareness put him in a 
position to save this young girl from harm.
  These seven heroic young leaders demonstrate courage, awareness, and 
a commitment to safety. Moreover, these traits are what the AAA School 
Safety Patrol Program embodies as an institution. Patrollers exemplify 
the kind of services that are needed so that young people safely 
navigate traffic hazards to and from school. I applaud their commitment 
to improving our community.

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