Althea Fields is one of five students in the U.S. who received this prestigious award
SARASOTA, Fla., (May 22, 2019) – Althea Fields, a 5th grader in Sarasota, was given the AAA School Safety Patrol® Lifesaving Medal on Thursday morning at her school, Gulf Gate Elementary. Fields heroically carried out her Safety Patrol duties by pulling a young child out of the path of a speeding vehicle.
“Althea is a shining example of the qualities that embody a AAA School Safety Patroller,” said Matt Nasworthy, Florida Public Affairs Director for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “She cares about her fellow students and takes her duty to protect others seriously. It was my honor to present Althea with this prestigious award in front of the same students she helps protect every day.”
Fields is one of five students across the U.S. who received the AAA School Safety Patrol Lifesaving Medal this year. The award is given to students who saved someone’s life while at their post.
The AAA School Safety Patrol Lifesaving Medal is the highest and most prestigious award given to members of the AAA School Safety Patrol. Recipients are selected patrol members who, while on duty, have saved the life of a person in imminent danger. Each year, a national review board representing education, law enforcement and safety selects each year’s recipients from a group of nominated candidates.
About the AAA School Safety Patrol Program
The AAA School Safety Patrol program is the largest safety program in the world! Each year, more than 679,000 children participate at over 35,000 schools throughout the country. For more than 99 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. The Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation’s goal is to continue fostering this vital program, which develops tomorrow’s leaders today.
AAA School Safety Patrol members are school-sponsored student volunteers from upper elementary grades, middle and junior high schools.
Patrollers direct children, not traffic. As school-age leaders in traffic safety, patrol members teach other students about traffic safety on a peer-to-peer basis. They also serve as models for younger children, who look up to them.
School Safety Patrol members:
- Complete training in traffic safety.
- Protect students from hazards of crossing roads and highways on their way to and from school.
- Assist bus drivers in safely transporting students to and from school.
- Teach fellow students about traffic safety.
- Serve in other leadership roles under the direction of school officials.
Typically, teachers and principals appoint patrol members, who participate with parental approval. A teacher usually serves as the patrol advisor. Local law enforcement officers may also be involved with patrols. Click here to learn more.
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9.9 million members across 11 states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 59 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. Visit AAA on the Internet at AAA.com.