Keller ISD crossing guard aims to bring out smiles with fun costumes
KELLER, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — It's hard enough to miss a big red stop sign. But when it's held by Charla Lee, it's impossible.
That's because every Friday, you never know what costume she will don on the side of the road at Keller ISD's Willis Lane Elementary School.
"The first time I saw her, I was like, 'What's happening? This is so great!'" Kevin Mclendon, the assistant principal, said laughing. "Parents say the same thing. Everyone has just embraced it and it's been awesome."
Lee has many crazy outfits.
"I have a unicorn, and this fabulous pig! I have a dog, the Grinch, Elf on a Shelf, Buddy the elf, a reindeer... Oh, for the first day of school, I dressed as a pencil," she recalled.
Parents are always honking their horns and sharing how much they love the costumes on social media.
"Last week for National Dog Day, she did a dog," parent Mark Baptista said. "All the kids love her, give her hugs, and everybody listens to her. It makes the morning start off really good for the kids."
As a parent herself, Lee has been on the job a little over a year. She helps kids cross every day, but only dresses up once a week.
"I noticed they needed a crossing guard, and I thought, 'Well, I am dropping off anyways.'"
So naturally, why not throw on a costume?
"Most kids love it," Lee said. "Some of them are a little bit skeptical, but most of them are laughing and they're like, 'What are you doing?'"
She says if not for the fun, it's all for those sweet smiles, which are needed more now than ever before.
"Not every kid is excited to get up and go to school, and you can tell which ones are going to need coffee at an older age," Lee said. "And so I feel like if they see one smiling face in the morning that cares and lets them know that there's an adult in their corner, then it's worth it."
