CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) crossing guards were honored Monday during an annual appreciation rally at Malcolm X College.
There are about 700 crossing guards that regularly serve CPS, and about half of them were in attendance at Malcolm X College to hear praise for their work from CPS CEO Pedro Martinez.
“I know how harsh this weather can be,” he said. “It never stops, and you’re here every single morning and afternoon, welcoming our children, making sure they’re safe.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson was also in attendance.
“Guess who shows up no matter if it’s flooding, no matter if it’s a heatwave?” Johnson asked. “It’s you all. You all show up for Chicago.”
Crossing Guard of the Year awards were also announced for one guard from each of the district’s four regions. The recipients were: Jacobo Araujo, of the CPS Central West region; Kimberly Dukes, of the CPS Southwest region; Gwenette Scott, of the North Side region; and Tammy Anderson, of the Far South Side region.
Anderson is known to many as the so-called “dancing crossing guard.”
“A mother of three that has been a crossing guard since 2016 for Beasley Elementary,” an official said as they introduced Anderson. “She loves her job. She loves her babies. It all started when she was younger; she got that orange belt as a student; she started to volunteer, and it hasn’t stopped since.”
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