Eli Ruth, 5th Grader at Bay View Elementary School, shines the brightest in essay contest
Pictured: Eli Ruth – AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year
From left to right: Erica Amborn – School Safety Patrol Advisor, Eli Ruth – AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year
From left to right: Sheryl Anderson – AAA, Eli Ruth – AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year, Erica Amborn – School Safety Patrol Advisor
AAA is proud to recognize and award Eli Ruth from Bay View Elementary School in Duluth, Minnesota with the AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year Award. Only one deserving patrol member, per state, in The Auto Club Group’s territory wins the annual award.
The AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year Award recognizes the patroller who best exemplifies leadership qualities, good citizenship, school involvement, and application of safety skills vital to effectively and responsibly wear the AAA School Safety Patrol™ badge. During the nomination process, students were carefully chosen by their teacher, principal, or school safety patrol coordinator and then judged based on their performance with leadership qualities, safety skills, school involvement, and citizenship. This year, we had many great nominations so the winner selection came down to their essay entry that described, “How participating in the AAA School Safety Patrol™ program helped them become a better leader."
AAA-The Auto Club Group presented Eli Ruth with a plaque and prize during a school assembly on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Bay View Elementary School.
“Eli has been an AAA School Safety Patroller for the past year and consistently exemplifies quality leadership skills. He has developed into an impressive leader who has earned the respect of students and staff. Eli is extremely dedicated to the program, volunteers his time and is an excellent student,” said Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman, AAA- The Auto Club Group (Minnesota-Iowa). “Throughout his essay, Eli spoke of learning the meaning of dedication and how to be a leader by being responsible, observant, timely and kind during his year-long tenure as an AAA School Safety Patroller.”
Additionally, Eli’s advisor wrote in his nomination that he is responsible and very observant. He knows which students live at the houses along his route to know who is missing at the crossings and even helped a student realize they forgot their backpack with enough time for them to safely go back and grab it and still make it to school on time.
The AAA School Safety Patrol program is the largest safety program in the world.
Since its inception in 1920, the AAA School Safety Patrol program, has provided a safer environment and wide spectrum of educational opportunities for millions of school children. Each year, more than 654,000 children participate at over 34,500 schools throughout the country.
For over 100 years, AAA has sponsored the AAA School Safety Patrol program, which instills students with a sense of responsibility, leadership and citizenship. AAA provides an array of equipment and material, including electric-lime fluorescent belts, nickel plated steel badges and training for the AAA School Safety Patrollers. When properly uniformed and trained, they can assist their grade school classmates by ensuring their safety to and from school every day.
The program has been praised by safety and education groups around the globe for reducing injuries and deaths among 5-to-14 year olds, the age group most at risk for pedestrian injury. In addition to keeping students safe, the program teaches lifelong lessons of responsibility, leadership and good citizenship. AAA’s goal is to continue fostering this vital program, which develops tomorrow’s leaders today.
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