Cheney youth named to AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

Parents of students attending Salnave Elementary School can rest easy about pedestrian crossings; Keenan is on the job.

Fifth-grader Keenan Loughery was selected to the Automotive Association of America (AAA) School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame.

For being selected, Loughery (pronounced “lockery”) gets a free trip to Seattle on May 1 for a Mariners' game. AAA communications director Jennifer Cook said Loughery will be escorted onto the diamond at Safeco Field prior to the game and, along with 10 other winners across the state, be individually recognized for his accomplishment and be presented a certificate and a $50 gift check. Afterward, Loughery will watch the game from a luxury suite.

Loughery was selected from 50 other safety patrols in Washington. The safety patrol advisor, Jennifer Imperial, a para-educator at Salnave said she thought Loughery was a great candidate because of the maturity he has for his age.

“He can think on his feet,” she said. “He really has his act together.”

The oldest of five siblings, Loughery answered essay question about safety patrol job situations, the importance of serving the community, helping the community by directing traffic and setting an example.

According to the AAA website only one entry is allowed per school. The essay was due in Feb. 2 and by Feb. 15, Loughery was notified he had won. Imperial said his response was humble.

“I never thought I would win,” Loughery said to Imperial.

To nominate a student, the advisors had their own essay questions to answer too. Cook said the advisors were asked about the patrollers' leadership qualities, punctuality, and ability to be a role model. Cook said AAA wanted to see how the patrollers functioned as safety advocates. Advisors were also asked how the patroller they were nominating went above and beyond the “call of duty.”

The need for extra eyes at schools is paramount. Imperial said the intersection at Salnave Road and Presley Drive is pretty busy. She said the safety patrols are taught to help younger students cross the road safely but also set an example by being wary of traffic.

“A lot of children do not pay attention (to traffic),” Imperial said.

She added that when in doubt, the patrols are taught to give traffic the right of way.

In addition to street crossings, she said the patrols report safety issues and are also taught to get the license numbers of drivers that don't yield or stop for pedestrians. Two “patrollers” work in tandem. She said one of them gets the letters on the license plate and the other gets the numbers.

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]