LAKE ORION, Mich., March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
Penni Robertson, a crossing guard
known for her positive attitude and unyielding commitment to the
kids, was named America's Favorite Crossing Guard today in a
morning assembly in front of students, parents, faculty and elected
officials at Carpenter Elementary in Lake
Orion, Michigan. Robertson, the inaugural recipient of the
honor, awarded by Safe Kids Worldwide, was selected among
nominations from across the country for going above and beyond in
her contributions to protecting children on their way to and from
school.
"Penni is a shining light for the children at Carpenter," said
Adam Welton, Principal of Carpenter
Elementary School. "She braves rain, snow, wind and any element.
She uses her own limited resources to help feed and clothe children
in our building. She even drives one of our students to school
every day because he doesn't have a ride. And there's so much more
that makes her worthy of America's Favorite Crossing Guard."
Safety in school zones is more important than ever. A research
report released in October by Safe Kids Worldwide, made possible
with support from FedEx, revealed that school zones can be unsafe
places for students. The research, "Alarming Dangers in School
Zones," is an observational study that included 39,000 walkers and
56,000 drivers in school zones and recorded risky behaviors,
including distracted walking by students, distracted driving by
those dropping off, unsafe speed limits, unmarked crosswalks and
limited crossing guards.
The research revealed that about 80 percent of students were
observed crossing the street in an unsafe manner. And nearly one in
three drivers displayed unsafe behaviors that endangered student
pedestrians, like texting, double parking or blocking a
crosswalk.
Download the report and
infographic.
Safe Kids and FedEx launched the America's Favorite Crossing
Guard campaign to raise awareness about the tremendous contribution
that crossing guards make to protect kids in school zones.
"With teen pedestrian deaths on the rise and kids and drivers
more distracted than ever, crossing guards are our unsung
champions," said Kristin Rosenthal,
Program Manager for U.S. Pedestrian and Bike Safety at Safe Kids
Worldwide. "They are out there rain or shine, even in the coldest
of winter mornings, to ensure a safe journey for our kids around
schools. Penni is one of many wonderful crossing guards around the
country who deserve our gratitude."
"At FedEx, we are committed to protecting kids on the road,"
said Rose Flenorl, manager, FedEx
Global Citizenship. "America's Favorite Crossing Guard is a unique
opportunity for Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx to join together to
raise awareness about the important work crossing guards do every
day across the United States and
to encourage students, parents and communities to show appreciation
to these unsung civic heroes."
Robertson, who joined Carpenter Elementary in 2012, has worked
as a staff associate and crossing guard since 2013.
"This is a great honor and something I never expected," said
Robertson, who has two children, Gaven, 15, and Gage, 13. "I feel
very lucky to have the chance to make an impact in the lives of the
kids at our school. I just love the daily interactions I get to
have with not only the kids, but the school community as well."
America's Favorite Crossing Guard program will continue in 2017.
For more information about the initiative and how to nominate a
crossing guard in your community visit safekids.org.
About Safe Kids
Safe Kids Worldwide is a
nonprofit organization working to prevent childhood injury,
the number one cause of death for children in
the United States. Throughout the
world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and
almost every one of these tragedies is preventable. Safe Kids works
with an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the U.S.
and with partners in more than 30 countries to reduce traffic
injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Since 1988,
Safe Kids has helped reduce the U.S. childhood death rate from
unintentional injury by 60 percent. Working together, we can
do much more for kids everywhere. Join our effort
at safekids.org.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides
customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of
transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual
revenues of $58 billion, the company
offers integrated business applications through operating companies
competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the
respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most
admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000
team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety,
the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of
their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx
connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit
about.fedex.com.
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SOURCE Safe Kids Worldwide