Armed with orange flags with a stop-sign symbol and bright yellow vests, the Wadena‐Deer Creek school patrol takes great pride in helping WDC students and staff, as well as parents and the public cross school intersections safely-oftentimes when traffic is heavy.
"They are very important because they assist people and children to safely cross the busy
streets before and after school," said Jodee Finn, who serves as the WDC School Patrol advisor, in a news release.
Finn also teaches third grade at WDC Elementary.
On Sept. 1, Finn and Wadena Police Chief Naomi Plautz trained the eager fourth-graders during a school patrol training session. The training included classroom time and hands-on training.
ADVERTISEMENT
During the school year, the school patrollers have the same partner all year long and work in two-week shifts. They are on their posts both in the morning before school and at the end of the school day.
Finn said there are rewards for the students' hard work and dedication. During the winter, they have a swim/pizza party and in the spring of the year, the patrollers get to attend a Minnesota Twins game. The cost for this game is covered in part by the school and thanks to the generosity of several area service groups.
To become a school patrol, Finn said students must fill out an application form and attend a tryout day in the spring. Finn also asks for input from teachers for school-patrol candidates.
The school patrol team for the 2016-17 school year are: Max Pichardo, Addyson Gravelle, Vanessa Haataja, Mari Pulver, Addison Carr, Macy Wynn, Hally Hamby, Bradley Moats, Emma Schmitz, Jordin VanOurkerk, Montana Carsten, Ava VanBruggen, Amsale Loer, Kobe Snyder, Carson Davis, Madyson Beversluis, Mazie Boen and Danica Pederson.
