AAA Recognizes Montgomery County Student With National Lifesaver Award for Extraordinary Heroism

OLNEY, MD (June 18, 2026) - AAA is proud to announce that Matthew Geiger, a fifth grader at Brooke Grove Elementary School in Montgomery County, Maryland has received the highest honor bestowed upon a AAA School Safety Patroller, the Lifesaver Award.

Matthew is one of only two students in the entire United States to receive this honor this year. As the school year comes to an end, he was honored earlier this week by AAA, before an audience of family, fellow students and school safety patrollers, as well as county and police officials, including the Deputy Chief of the Montgomery County Police Department.

For more than 100 years, the AAA School Safety Patrol has been the world’s largest school-based safety program. Patrollers around the world provide school-aged children with an extra sense of safety and security during the school day’s busiest times: arrival and dismissal. Matthew’s quick actions exemplify the safety principles on which the AAA School Safety Patroller program was founded.

In 1949, AAA began to recognize those elite School Safety Patrol members who, while on duty, saved the life of a person in imminent danger. Since the program’s inception, 446 persons across the country have received the Lifesaver Award.

Montgomery County’s Superhero, Matthew Geiger

During a busy arrival period, Matthew observed a younger student who was distracted and about to walk directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Recognizing the immediate danger, Matthew

acted proactively by physically Intervening and immediately extending an arm to block the younger student’s path. Matthew communicated the hazards by pointing out the moving vehicle to ensure the student understood the danger. He ensured the safety of the younger student by maintaining the hold on him until the vehicle came to a complete stop and it was safe to proceed.

The younger student’s parent was approximately ten feet away and witnessed the entire event, expressing profound thanks for Matthew’s quick thinking.

For his act of bravery, Matthew’s Safety Patrol Advisor, Bonnie Helvey, and his principal, Mr. Travis Payne nominated him for AAA’s Lifesaver Award.

‘In our school, we teach our student leaders to always be alert of the campus, but it is rare to see a student execute those responsibilities with such composure under pressure,” wrote Travis Payne, Principal at Brooke Grove Elementary School. “Matthew did not just follow a protocol; they prevented a potentially life-altering accident. We are incredibly proud to have such a dedicated individual representing our school's values and the Safety Patrol program. Thank you (to AAA) for providing the platform to honor this exceptional young leader,” Mr. Payne added.

As a peer-to-peer leadership development program, Safety Patrols are trained to recognize safety hazards to ensure a safer school environment. The presence of a AAA School Safety Patroller wearing the familiar belt and badge is a nationally recognized symbol representing nearly 680,000 children throughout the country who participate in the program each year. There are approximately 30,000 School Safety Patrollers in Maryland.

“The courage, responsibility, and leadership Matthew demonstrated on that day are truly remarkable,” said Ragina Cooper Ali, AAA’s Public and Government Affairs Manager for Maryland and the Washington, DC Metro area. “His quick thinking and willingness to step in during a critical moment reflect the important role safety patrollers play in safeguarding their fellow students. Matthew’s actions not only helped save a life but also serve as an inspiring reminder of the difference one person can make.”

The leadership values and safety awareness have inspired many former patrollers to pursue admirable careers, including Presidents of the United States, astronauts, governors, Members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, Olympic medalists, and authors, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid author, Jeff Kinney. Many patrollers now serve as educators, executives, and community leaders.

Since 1920, AAA has been providing various equipment and education materials to patrollers, including reflective belts, patrol badges and training resources. The AAA model has been adopted in at least 30 other countries, including England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.