Story and photo submitted by Cobb County School District:
Those who drive by Rocky Mount Elementary see Alice Medlin every day, sometimes twice a day. They may even spot her out front of Simpson Middle School or near Lassiter High School. Parents wave. Students smile at the friendly crossing guard that greets them as they walk to school. Some parents stop to chat and laugh with her after walking their students to school.
What they do not always see are the times when “Ms. Alice” steps in front of a whizzing car to pull a student to safety. They may not see her step off the curb into the path of a speeding car, all to protect a Cobb County student in harm’s way.
They may not know that some drivers are quite disrespectful as they pass the almost-84 years-young crossing guard. They just see her smile because that’s what she does. She waves to the ill-mannered drivers and returns her attention to the children.
“I love these children. They are like mine,” gushed the beloved crossing guard.
For her dedication to student safety, commitment to serving the Cobb Schools community, and consistently doing it all with a positive attitude and a warm smile, “Ms. Alice” was recently named the North Georgia Outstanding Crossing Guard of the Year by the Georgia Safe Routes to School.
She is one of only four in the entire state of Georgia to receive the title of Crossing Guard of the Year and is the only one in the 39-county area of North Georgia.
“Ms. Alice” was standing in the crosswalk in front of Rocky Mount Elementary when she learned that she had been named Crossing Guard of the Year, a moment that brought tears to her eyes. Rocky Mount Principal Peggy Fleming, Assistant Principal Dr. Sage Doolittle, and Georgia Safe Routes representative Patti Pittman surprised her during Crossing Guard Appreciation Week.
Rocky Mount, Simpson, and Lassiter parents pushed for her to win the recognition.
Here’s what some of them said:
“Miss Alice makes sure you always a walk away with a smile. She adores all of her students and their families, and their safety is her top priority always.”
“She is out there in the rain, wind, snow, and heat at all times to help the walkers cross safely during the busiest times of the day.”
“We trust her with our kids’ lives.”
“Ms. Alice is amazing! She knows the kids by name. She loves and treats them like they are her grandkids.”
After giving birth to 9 children and loving 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren of her own, “Ms. Alice” has a lifetime of experience with children, and it shows.
“Ms. Alice loves giving out special treats for the kids before long weekends and vacations,” one parent wrote in their nomination. “She greets every walker with love and even shares personal stories with us! She has such a big heart for all of the children and sees them as her own grandchildren!”
Her oldest child, who attended Cobb Schools, is 65. One of her great-grandchildren has already graduated high school.
I don’t look it and don’t act it, she said as she did a little dance outside Rocky Mount.
“Ms. Alice” first pulled on the yellow vest of a Cobb Schools crossing guard about 5 years ago when she was a mere 79. She doesn’t plan to retire until she reaches 90.
Some of the adored crossing guard’s friends ask her why she chooses to wake up early every morning and stand in the bitter cold and show up each afternoon to watch over students in the intense Georgia heat.
“It makes it worth living to get up and come here every day,” she tells them.
She stands in the rain, cold, and heat because her job gives her the potential to positively impact someone else’s future. That’s an opportunity she cannot turn down.
When she’s not on the job at a crosswalk near you, she’s kicking up her heels on a dance floor. She goes dancing every Saturday.
Because so many parents, students and members of the community see her every day, she is a bit famous. People stop her at the grocery store because they recognize her. She has so many fans—parents and students alike—that they often want to continue their crosswalk talks.
“Ms. Alice is a joy!!! She greets us every day, no matter what the weather, with a smile,” another parent said. “She loves our kids and always makes sure they are safe. My kids love seeing her every morning and afternoon.”
This parent’s comment may best represent why so many parents nominated her and why she ultimately won Crossing Guard of the Year.
“She would literally give her life for any of these kids,” one parent declared.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
