Congratulations to the following 2021 National Award Winners:

• AAA National School Safety Patrol Advisor of the Year, Mike Huss, Ione Elementary, Ione, CA
• AAA National School Safety Patroller of the Year, Daisy Casey, Martin Elementary, South San Francisco, CA

Read more about Daisy Casey’s story:

An academically talented student, Daisy has undergone a complete transformation since joining the AAA School Safety Patrol. She went from being a quiet student that rarely spoke at school, to talking with her teachers and classmates. Her newfound confidence motivated her to create safety videos for school announcements and become a young agent-for-change in her community.

“AAA School Safety Patrol has changed me and my life for the better,” said Casey. “In the past, I have never talked to anyone. Participating in my AAA School Safety Patrol has helped me to become a better leader by pushing me to become more confident in myself.”

Recently, Daisy had the chance to address San Francisco Mayor London Breed about Martin Elementary School’s efforts to create a statewide Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Bridges was only six years old when in November 1960, she became the first Black student to integrate an elementary school in the South. Along with other Martin Elementary School students, Daisy’s goal is to create a nationwide movement to honor the civil rights icon while promoting respect and equal treatment for students of all backgrounds.

“I’m absolutely amazed, and in awe, with the hard work the students at Martin Elementary have put into pursuing Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day,” said Ms. Bridges. “I’ve seen hope in the young people I’ve met. People like Daisy Casey who are carving their own paths and leading the charge to make a better world.”

Read more about Mike Huss’ story:

Mike has led the school safety patrol for 7 years. Mike trains patrollers and meets with them regularly to give advice and provide additional training. Mike stands at the front of Ione Elementary School each day with the patrollers, watching as they open car doors and greets students. Mike is also Ione Elementary School’s Teacher in Charge, Yearbook Advisor, Cops 4 Kids leader, and grade level team lead. Off campus, Mike has been a youth coach, sat on the Little League Board, and was on his churches parish council.

“Leading the Ione Elementary School AAA Safety Patrol has been the most rewarding experience of my teaching career,” said Huss. “Watching the students take on the responsibilities of helping their school has been fun to watch. Since starting the Safety Patrol in 2014, I have seen students do amazing things that they have never thought possible in their lives.”

Mike talks highly of the students in his Patrol group. He says, “It is students like these that have inspired me to keep leading the Ione Elementary School AAA Safety Patrol. They have shown me that this program matters. It builds leaders. It grows confidence. It gives students a sense of pride and belonging. It promotes team building and group problem solving. Being involved gives me hope for our future as I am able to help encourage the future leaders of our town, our state, and our country realize their potential.”

Congratulations to the following 2020-2021 award winners:

Apply Today for the 2020-2021 AAA School Safety Patrol Awards

Do you know an outstanding Patroller or Patrol Advisor? Do you know a student or class that has gone above to keep their community safe in 2020? Nominate them for a AAA School Safety Patrol Award. 

If selected, the winner’s school will receive a grant up to $2,000 to help enhance their school’s AAA School Safety activities and the winners will receive a customized award plaque.

Recognizing Safety Leaders

Students and adult advisors who give their time and energy to make the AAA School Safety Patrol a success are encouraged to submit a nomination for one of our five awards. Click here to learn more. 

• Patroller of the Year
• Patrol Advisor of the Year
• Lifesaving Medal
• NEW: Student Safety and Leadership Award
• NEW: Class Safety and Leadership Award

Easy, Online Application 

Applying for awards is easier and faster than ever – we’ve gone digital! Applications are 100% online, and you can save and return to your application in progress. Click on the link below for more details and instructions. 

APPLY NOW

Applications are due Feb 26, 2020 and winners will be notified in March. Check out a list of last year winners here.

For schools reopening and operating Patrols this Fall, there are new operations guidelines available to help you maintain student safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All practices are in-line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Schools and Patrol Advisors should always follow the advice of state and local public health officials.

To download the document, click here.

1. The AAA Lesson Plan is a free curriculum available to download throughout the year containing topics such as, bullying, self-driving car safety, crossing the street safety, etc.  Teachers can also choose to be sent a free teacher’s packet to help with teaching the lessons.

2. Help kids #PlayAtHome. The Play at Home Playbook, powered by our valued partner, Playworks, is now available to download. In this playbook, you will find ways to keep students active and moving. Additionally, Playworks is hosting a virtual recess 3x a day on Facebook Live.

3. Comcast is offering it’s Internet Essentials customers two months of free service when they sign up by April 30th. After two months, service is $9.95/month plus tax. Find out if you qualify for this service here. Other internet providers have responded similarly, check out more information posted by Charter, Cox, and AT&T.

4. Google has given G Suite and G Suite for Education customers free access to advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities. This includes:

-Larger meetings, for up to 250 participants per call
-Live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain
-The ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive

Check out Google’s tips for Educators on how to maximize online learning here.

5. Zoom is lifting its 40 minute meeting limit on free Basic accounts; request these upgrades for your school here. Additionally, check out Zoom’s list of tips and tricks for teachers educating on the Zoom platform.

6. Adobe is offering free access to Creative Cloud tools. This resource will be available until the end of May and is available for students attending schools that currently only provide lab access. Check it out here.

7. Wide Open School, a site built in response to COVID-19 and school closures, is a free collection of the best online learning resources for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense Media. Many of these resources can be completed off offline or on smartphones.

Congratulations to the following 2020 award winners:

A proud tradition, the AAA School Safety Patrol program began in the U.S. in 1920 and now includes more than 654,000 Patrollers in 34,500 U.S. schools. Students and Patrol Advisors who give their time and energy to make the AAA School Safety Patrol a success are encouraged and supported by school officials, parent-teacher groups, police departments and AAA clubs.

Do you know an outstanding Patroller or Patrol Advisor? Nominate them today for an award! If selected, the winner’s school will receive a grant up to $2,000 to help enhance their school’s AAA School Safety Patrol Program. Applying for awards is easier and  faster than ever- we’ve gone digital! This year, the Patroller of the Year award and Patrol Advisor of the Year award applications will be accepted via our online submission form. Click on the links below for more details and instructions. Applications are due March 20, 2020 and all winners will be notified in April.

• Patroller of the Year
• Patrol Advisor of the Year
• Lifesaving Medal

Check out a list of last year winners here.

Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for child pedestrians. Excited trick-or-treaters often forget about safety so motorists and parents must be even more alert. Check out AAA’s Halloween tips below to ensure a fun and safe holiday for everyone.  

For Parents/Guardians:

• For younger kids, pin a piece of paper with your child’s name, address and phone number inside your child’s pocket in case you get separated. 
• Plan and discuss the route your trick-or-treaters will follow; instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.
• Teach children to stop only well-lit houses and to never enter a stranger’s home or garage.
• Instruct children to not eat any candy until they get home.
• Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant, visible with reflective material and will not obstruct vision or movement.  Ensure any props are flexible and blunt-tipped.

For Trick-or-Treaters:

• Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries, and place it face down in the treat bucket to free up one hand.  Never shine it into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
• Always stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets; if there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. Remember to look both ways before crossing!
• Stay with a group of people and don’t wander off on your own.
• Tell your parents/guardians where you are going and make sure to get home by a pre-established time. 

For Motorists:

• Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. 
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.  In dark costumes, they’ll be harder to see at night. 
• Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars. 
• Broaden your scanning by looking for children left and right into yards and front porches. 

AAA is an advocate for the safety and security of all road users. To teach even more safety lessons to young ones, check out the AAA School Safety Lesson Plan on our website at AAA.com/SchoolSafety.