Two grade 7 students from Primrose Elementary School, in Mulmur, Ont. were recently named the CAA School Safety Patrollers of the Year for using their training to help fellow students evacuate safely from a bus after it slid into a ditch. The award recognizes the student volunteers who make an outstanding contribution to the nearly century-old school safety program.
Isabelle Wallace and Chase Rodgers have been involved with the CAA School Safety Patrol® program for two years, as bus patrollers and as kindergarten bus buddies. In March, they were part of a group of students who were involved in a crash after the school bus they were travelling in slid into a ditch. Both students calmly helped the driver evacuate the students through the rear emergency exit.
“When you pull up and you see the bus in the ditch all you think of is, ‘Is everyone OK?’” says Ashley Hopkins, the students’ Vice Principal and nominator. “We were extremely worried but happy to see that everyone was fine. Right off the bat we were told how great Chase and Isabelle had been. When you have four-year-olds on a bus without their parents, having someone who is older and calm telling you that everything is going to be OK, makes a huge difference.”
Both students are described as leaders among their peers with excellent attendance, good marks, a strong sense of volunteerism and a keen willingness to help others.
“Both Isabelle and Chase are very deserving of this award. They step up every day and care for the kids on the bus,” says Rob Hinbest, the students’ bus driver. “They are a tremendous help to me taking care of all of the kids on the bus and that helps me stay focused and keep everyone safe.”