Students at Peace Arch Elementary are taking pedestrian safety into their own hands.
White Rock RCMP Const. Chantal Sears, in partnership with the school and supportive equipment from BCAA, has launched a new student-run crossing guard program at Peace Arch Elementary (15877 Roper Ave.).
Training began last week, Sears told PAN, and Wednesday was the first day Grade 6 students Samuel Lee, Devon McRobert and Shania Feng controlled traffic by themselves.
Sears, along with kindergarten teacher Joyce Ahonen, supervised and offered suggestions to the student crossing guards.
The program is open to Grade 6-7 students, and after spring break will open up to Grade 5 students. The children, Ahonen said, need to be at least 10 years old.
Great job @PeaceArchElem #students getting involved in #CommunitySafety thanks @BCAA for the awesome reflective safety equipment!! #whiterock pic.twitter.com/C1tHH17s0S
— White Rock RCMP (@WhiteRockRCMP) November 6, 2019
Ahonen said that since the project started, more students have expressed interest in becoming a traffic guard.
“Constable Sears has been very active down here just to make sure that parents and the community are going slowly,” Ahonen said. “There’s lots of dropping off, lots of cars trying to navigate a small space.”
Ahonen said the added presence of the child crossing guards, who dress in high-reflection gear, has caused drivers to slow down in the school zone.
