Not all heroes wear capes; some wear bright yellow traffic vests and sunglasses. The crossing guards for Canyon View Elementary and Northwood High School, Bev McPherson and Hilary Jaeger, protect families while radiating positive energy.
“I liked that I can make a difference because I am one of the first people students see,” McPherson said. “Getting to know the kids and seeing a smile on their face when you call their name is impactful for me. I’ve seen kids that have changed, who used to come with their head down, and now, they look up and smile.”
Funded by the City of Irvine and administered by the Irvine Police Department, Irvine Unified School District’s crossing guard program currently covers 35 schools and 58 locations. Guards are assigned to intersections based on traffic data, community and school requests, and school openings and closings. The program has expanded tremendously due to Irvine’s growing population and increased vehicle traffic with decreasing rates of pedestrian traffic.
“One thing I like about this program is that—us older people—we are able to work,” Jaeger said. “We work with people that have had all sorts of different careers in their life. We enjoy each other, and it’s a very close-knit community that is valuable to the police department.”
Rain or shine, IUSD’s crossing guards work two hours a day for 180 school days annually, sometimes risking their own lives to ensure safety. McPherson once stepped in front of a car to prevent two high school students on bicycles from being harmed.
“It happened so quick that I didn’t have time to think about myself,” McPherson said. “I just reacted because that is my job to keep these kids safe. After I got back to the side, this little boy looked up at me and went, ‘Wow, you’re really brave.”’
The intersection of Arborwood and Yale Avenue is among the city’s busiest, according to traffic programs supervisor Jodi Rahn. Despite the guards’ vigilance, they often face impatient drivers, some of whom ignore traffic rules—or worse, direct their frustration at the guards.
“We’re out there for a reason,” McPherson said. “The police department asked us to come out there and safely cross students, so for us to do that, we need a partnership between the students. They need to recognize that when your crossing guard has a stop sign up, you need to stop.”
