By Megan Wehring
HAYS COUNTY – You never know what or who can lift a child’s spirit. For Hays CISD students, it is Edward Henderson – a crossing guard at Barton Middle School.
In an effort to give back to someone who gives the community his all, several parents gathered to give Henderson an Appreciation Day, while he was stationed for his shift. What started out as a simple post on Facebook from parent Colette Dyer Johnson turned into a wave of support – including honoring other crossing guards in the district.
“I think the crossing guards are the unsung heroes of the district,” Dyer Johnson said. “So many times, we have a lot of different appreciation things for other folks in the district and we felt like this was an opportunity to highlight them for a change.”
On Friday, May 20, Dyer Johnson arrived bright and early at Henderson’s intersection to deliver a basket with balloons and goodies. Community members showed up throughout the day to add even more from gift cards to breakfast tacos.
“There’s so much that our kids go through these days,” Dyer Johnson said. “They have so many different things coming at them right now. I work with mental health services for our children and it’s an epidemic right now. I just think that crossing guards give a great example that giving a smile or encouragement can go a long way. I always tell my kids that you never know where people are and how they are.”
As of Dyer Johnson’s Facebook post on May 20, Henderson has had eight close calls with vehicles.
