Bolingbrook Student is AAA Patroller of the Year Runner-Up

Tibbott Elementary School (Bolingbrook) fifth-grader Jairus Harlan has been named the runner-up in AAA’s Illinois and Northern Indiana School Safety Patroller of the Year awards.

The captain of the Tibbott Safety Patrol will be honored at the May Valley View School District 365U School Board meeting.

“Jairus is a wonderful student and patrol,” wrote Tibbott Safety Patrol Supervisor Elaine Ripley in her nomination paperwork. “He is respected by his fellow students as well as the staff members.”

“My older sister, Jade, was a Patrol,” Jairus said in the essay he had to write. “She was my inspiration.”

Active in Yearbook, Choir and school and church fundraising and volunteer activities, the young man admitted he used to think being a leader was “a one man show and it was all about me.” But, he wrote “being a patrol has turned that around.”

Ripley cited Jairus for being “a great role model” who is trustworthy and always on time.

"He has a special silent presence that encourages other students to behave as he does,” she said.

“You can’t just sit…you got to do your part,” Jairus wrote in his essay. “I used to watch everyone else make a difference because I was afraid. Patroling has given me the opportunity and I’ve taken it. I for once don’t want the school year to end for many other reasons but this is the #1 reason.”