AAA Recognizes Jacobsville Elementary Student

PASADENA, MD (July 18, 2024) - AAA recently recognized 2023-2024 AAA Outstanding School Safety Patroller winner, Rachel Strevig. Rachel is a fifth grader at Jacobsville Elementary School in Pasadena, MD. She was nominated for this honor by her school counselor, Ms. Donna Kennedy for her exemplary leadership qualities. Like thousands of her peers across the country, Rachel has remained committed to keeping her fellow students safe and being a positive role model at her school.

“Rachel is an exceptional student and natural leader, who goes above and beyond each and every day and is a model of respect, leadership, dedication and kindness,” said Ms. Kennedy. “Educators at Jacobsville Elementary believe their school is a better place because of Rachel’s commitment to the safety of others.”

As a Captain with the School Safety Patroller Program, Rachel has demonstrated numerous acts of kindness and leadership. From addressing several instances of bullying to mentoring younger students, Rachel’s leadership has been acknowledged not only by her teachers, but by her peers, as well.

For more than 100 years, the AAA School Safety Patrol has been the world’s largest school-based safety program. Patrollers around the world provide school-aged children an extra sense of safety and security during the school day’s busiest times: arrival and dismissal. As a peer-to-peer leadership development program, Safety Patrols are trained to recognize safety hazards to ensure a safer school environment. The presence of a AAA School Safety Patroller wearing the familiar belt and badge is a nationally recognized symbol representing more than 679,000 children throughout the country who participate in the program each year.

“It’s the dedication and leadership of students like Rachel and countless others that have made the AAA School Safety Patrol program so impactful for decades, “ said Renee Grey, AAA Retail Manager.

Created to make schoolchildren safer while walking to school, the program has grown-up and matured with the times while remaining steadfast to its mission to provide a safer environment and leadership opportunities for millions of schoolchildren. The training that patrollers receive instills safety sense beyond street crossings, including bus and car drop-offs, monitoring hallway congestion, and teaching patrollers invaluable leadership skills.

“AAA is proud to support this critical safety program in Maryland and at schools across the country,” Grey added. “We provide these young people with training tools to help make their school safer. We are impressed with their leadership and initiative in implementing safety changes and improvements at their schools."

The leadership values and safety awareness have inspired many former patrollers to pursue admirable careers, including Presidents of the United States, astronauts, governors, Members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, Olympic medalists, and authors, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid author, Jeff Kinney. Many patrollers now serve as educators, executives, and community leaders.

Since 1920, AAA has been providing various equipment and education materials to patrollers, including reflective belts, patrol badges and training resources. The AAA model has been adopted in at least 30 other countries, including England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.