Meet Mike from Ione Elementary

Background: 

Mike Huss has led the AAA School Safety Patrol program at Ione Elementary for seven years and used the AAA School Safety Lesson Plan for three years. In 2021, Mike was awarded the AAA National School Safety Patrol Advisor of the Year. 

Experience:

Huss explains, “Combining both the Patrol program and in-class safety lessons allows for real-world connections and understanding.” For the lesson plans specifically, Huss shares, “In the hecticness of a school year, I don’t have to worry about spending time creating the lesson plans. AAA has done all the work for me. They are designed well, are easy to use, and are easy to adjust and apply to my students’ lives.” 

“Despite the hard work, you will not find a more rewarding campus leadership program than the AAA School Safety Patrol Program.”

Proudest Moment: 

Huss shared that his proudest moment of being a Patrol Advisor was a few years ago when he worked with a student against many staff members’ heed not due to academic and behavioral challenges. “About a month into the school year, he stopped disrupting classes, homework and classwork started to get done, and he started standing up for others instead of being the bully.” The student’s transformation was not only noticeable to others, it was also to themselves. “Slowly, he saw himself in a new light. He still made mistakes, but he took responsibility for them. He developed as a leader. When his teacher asked him what had changed, he said it was important to him to be a safety patrol team member and he had to change or he’d be removed from the team.” 

Advice:

To any adult thinking about becoming a Patrol Advisor, Huss urges them to think beyond the concerns of being too busy. “Despite the hard work, you will not find a more rewarding campus leadership program than the AAA School Safety Patrol Program…The growth you see in your Patrollers and the positive change you will see on your campus is well worth saying ‘YES’ to taking on this campus leadership role.”

Huss’s last piece of advice is, “for current advisors, remember to include all students, not just the outgoing, popular students. A student who has had issues following school rules might just change their course on campus and in life if you allow them to take on the leadership role of being a safety patrol team member. That shy kid might become that confident leader and stand up to the bullies. I’ve seen it.”