MEDIA RELEASE: CAA announces the recipients of two provincial school zone safety awards

CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is proudly awarding two dedicated school zone safety volunteers with Provincial Safety awards. Tyra Sayles, 13, from Brantford has received the CAA School Safety Patroller of the Year award, and Kerri-Ann Sagert a grade 4/5 teacher at Agincourt Jr Public School in Toronto, has received the CAA School Safety Patrol Supervisor of the Year award.

“For over 90 years, the CAA School Safety Patrol® program (SSP)  has been advocating for the safety of children on their way to and from school, and in school zones. Sayles and Sagert are true road safety champions,” says Leslie Rocha, community relations specialist, CAA SCO.

Sayles has been in the program for three years, and excels in her extracurricular activities and academically as well.

“I do my best to balance everything because I take pride in making the world a better place in the things I do,” says Sayles.

The CAA School Safety Patrol program is a joint effort between CAA, the police, school boards, teachers, busing consortia, parents, and approximately 20,000 dedicated student volunteers. In Brantford, there are over 800 students that participate in the program.

“The students really respect and listen to Tyra. When it was discovered that students acted differently once Tyra got off the bus, she offered to stay on the bus for an extra hour of the day with no hesitation,” says Richard Melski, SSP Patrol Supervisor.

Sagert, has been a part of the SSP program for 10 years.

“I believe in everything the program stands for so much that I actively promote the program to younger students at the school, who will become Patrollers themselves,” says Sagert. 

Toronto Police constable and nominator Claudia Bednarczyk says, “She understands the value of having the CAA School Safety Patroller program at the school, and knows how to run it effectively, with little help.”

Both awards were announced last night in a year-end online celebration for patrollers in Ontario and Manitoba. Patrollers, teachers and supervisors took part in the virtual celebration hosted by DJ Metime also known as Sarah Barrable-Tishauer and choreographer, Boneless.

In Ontario, approximately 900 schools participate in the CAA School Safety Patrol program. CAA SCO works with over 50 partners to help deliver the program. For more information, visit https://www.caaschoolsafetypatrol.com/.