By: Hayley Strahs and Siyona Singhal
Local Editors
Every day, hundreds, if not thousands, of Los Gatos children walk or bike to school during morning rush hour amidst cars coming from every direction. Luckily, Los Gatos’s many crossing guards come to the rescue by ensuring that the streets are safe to cross and connect with the community.
Sue Dutiel, who stands at the intersection between Nino Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard, originally became a crossing guard because it fit perfectly around her late-night security shifts at Apple headquarters. She explained, “While the kids are going back to school, I’m sleeping.” Further down Nino Avenue is Marie, standing between Louise Van Meter Elementary School and Raymond J Fisher Middle School. After her young grandson inspired her to take the job, Marie immersed herself in the wide range of crossing guard responsibilities, from helping special needs kids cross to looking out for suspicious vehicles. However, the real reason that Marie and Dutiel love their job is the special bond that they share with the community members. Marie reflected, “We started out in the mornings in September as strangers, but as the weeks and the months went by…we all say good morning to each other…I look like I’m alone out here, but really, I’m not alone.”
On the other side of Fisher, at the corner of Blossom Hill and Roberts, is Tony Holm. In addition to his two daily shifts, Holm leads a double life as the host of American Danish Radio, a camera person for South Bay Championship Wrestling, and a participant in local Community Emergency Response Teams. Locals know Holm as a cheerful, positive face in the community; even during the after school rush, he always wishes passersby a good rest of their day.
Past Van Meter on the corner of Caldwell, you will find Tess Coleman. She became a crossing guard for the pay and the flexible hours worked with her schedule. Coleman explained that her favorite part about being a crossing guard is seeing not only the kids every day, but also their parents. She knows the names of pedestrians walking by and always puts in the effort to start a friendly conversation with kids coming back from school. When Coleman returns home, she is welcomed by her three dogs. During the day she goes to church, plays bingo, or spends time with her friends.
On the corner of Shannon near the back of Blossom Hill Elementary School stands Lynette Scott. Scott has been a crossing guard for 13 years, starting simply because she needed a job. Scott explained that she has been a crossing guard for so long because “I love meeting people and taking care of the people that I cross. For me, the best part is seeing my little ones driving when they get older.” On the other side of Blossom Hill Elementary School, Cristina Caruccio watches over the intersection between Blossom Hill and Cherry Blossom. Caruccio explained the reason that she became a crossing guard: “It has always kind of appealed to me to spend the time outside and be around kids and as well just having that energy of starting your day with community support.” For Carrucio, this job started as a part-time gig while she focused most of her time on her freelance editorial work. Caruccio does a lot of copy editing and proofreading for cookbooks as a pleasant way to end her busy days. However, Caruccio explained that being a crossing guard is now a more prominent part of her life, stating, “I love being with the kids and the energy is so nice in the morning. I just get the chance to get back what I put into the community and it’s really fulfilling.”
Next time you are waiting at an intersection on your way to school, make sure to give our town’s crossing guards a friendly wave and thank them for their contributions to our community.