Beloved Crossing Guard May Get His Day In Sun

CUPERTINO, CA --To live like a hero, you'd have to walk in Carl Smith's shoes.

This claim isn't the bravado from the Sutter Elementary School crossing guard, who has been nominated as the Safe Kids Worldwide's "America's Favorite Crossing Guard" by Santa Clara. These are the words of the children who count on him to cross Cornell and Forbes at the Santa Clara school. They are students who look forward to heading to school in the morning. Go figure.

"They absolutely love him. The kids actually look forward to crossing the street to see him," said Santa Clara Police Department Community Services Officer Taylor Carpenter, who nominated him as one if 170 crossing guards in the contest. Smith is one of 42 guards in Santa Clara County.

"Who is a real hero?" one of the students wrote about the Santa Clara man, who left his corporate life as a diabetic supplies order processor at Johnson & Johnson to do some good in his community. When he was laid off from the company when it pulled up stakes in the Silicon Valley, he took a year off then "found nothing" in his line of work. After a not-meant-to-be stint with Uber, he found a home away from home job that ironically saved him in terms of job satisfaction.

Beyond the students and parents, the crossing guard has gotten to know the neighborhood. They bring him treats.

Smith has been billed as friendly and focused individual who takes his job to heart and thrives on spreading a cheery disposition even at 7:15 a.m. -- and for good reason.

"This job fits him well because he is a morning person. He is my hero because he shows his kindness with us. He makes the world a better place," the student continued with her note.

"Just seeing the smiles, not just from the kids, but from the community is really rewarding," he said."It's what you do for somebody else that counts."

He's had a few close calls when motorists get impatient and drive through when he's in the middle of the street.

"That's when it's thankless. Drivers don't want to slow down," he said.

But Smith takes the pitfalls with stride. Every Monday through Friday, Smith diligently wears his police uniform with pride and packs up his trunk with a safety vest and stop sign. He also works as a traffic controller at Levi's Stadium, but it's the crossing guard post that gives him more pleasure than what can be written on a paycheck.

Safe Kids Worldwide, with support from FedEx, has launched a nationwide search to find the best of the best guards in the United States.

The winner of this year's "America's Favorite Crossing Guard" contest will receive an individual prize worth up to $500, and the school the guard represents will receive $10,000. Safe Kids will also host a pep rally at the school to honor the winner. The second-place winner's school will receive $7,500, and the third-place winner's school will receive $5,000.

"Crossing guards are the tireless heroes of student pedestrian safety and deserve our thanks and recognition," says Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. "They are out rain or shine, even during the cold winter mornings, to protect our kids from distracted drivers and the other risky behaviors that make school zones unsafe for our children."

Crossing guards provide an essential service to children, as pedestrian safety issues remain a major concern with more than 40 children being struck by vehicles every day. Previous findings from the Safe Kids Worldwide research report, "Alarming Dangers in School Zones," demonstrate the extent to which the problem has worsened. The report, made possible with support from FedEx, was based on an observational study of the behaviors of 39,000 middle- and high school students, as well as 56,000 drivers during drop off and pick up. Alarmingly, 80 percent of the students observed did not cross the street safely, and more than one in 10 drivers were distracted by mobile devices.

Parents, caregivers and the general public can nominate their crossing guard to be America's Favorite Crossing Guard through an online form on the Safe Kids website. Entries will be accepted through November 30. Visit safekids.org for more information.

Safe Kids Worldwide is a global nonprofit dedicated to protecting children from preventable injuries, the number one cause of death to children in the United States. Around the world, a child dies every 30 seconds from an injury that could have been prevented. Safe Kids is a go-to resource to help parents keep kids safe from car crashes, fires, falls, poisoning and more.

Through more than 400 coalitions in the U.S. and partners in more than 30 countries, Safe Kids works with children's hospitals, trauma centers, first responders and public health experts to get life-saving information to families.

--Images courtesy of Santa Clara Police Department, Carl Smith