CLEARWATER, Fla. — It was hard to tell who was more eager for the first day of school at the intersection of Sandy Lane and Rollen Avenue in Clearwater. Across the street from Sandy Lane Elementary School, giddy students and giddier parents approached the campus with excitement.
That energy was matched by the woman with the whistle.
“I want you to look left, right, left, and over the shoulder for the sneaky car, okay?” said the city’s favorite crossing guard.
A pair of cute blonde children nodded in agreement as they followed Melinda Neal into the crosswalk.
This isn’t a new scene. Neal has been manning this post for five years. She started at Kings Highway after applying for the position in 2014. She was honored by Clearwater Police over the summer with the Doug Carey School Crossing Guard of the Year award.
That was no surprise to the Sandy Lane community.
“She means a lot to this community because she’s very involved,” said P.E. teacher Rachel Mita, who taught Neal’s daughter in fifth grade. “She’s one of the first people they see when they arrive to school and she’s warm and welcoming.”
Mita delivered congratulatory sunflowers to Neal on the first day of school Wednesday. Even with the mask covering her face, you could see the joy in Neal’s eyes when she saw Mita approaching with the vase.
“I could cry,” she said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing the job I was called to do.”
The crossing guard shift lasts one hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. Neal, who grew up in the area and attended Ponce de Leon Elementary, Oak Grove Middle, and Clearwater High schools, feels connected to the children on the Sandy Lane campus.
“You have to have a communication with them,” said Neal, who has five grandkids. “I definitely enjoy the post. I enjoy the kids.”
Neal knows many of them by name and even remembered which grades they were entering as the students arrived back from summer break.
“Good morning, Luna!” said Neal as she helped a little girl in a blue dress across the road. “Welcome back, sweetie! You look so nice!”
The Crossing Guard of the Year distinction was special to receive for Neal. The award is named after Doug Carey, a retired officer who decided to serve as a crossing guard himself. He was killed on the job when a driving ran a red light on Gulf To Bay Boulevard in May 2014.
It was the same year Neal signed up for the post.
“It’s about making sure that the children are safe and just encouraging them to have a good day,” she said. “That’s what makes my day.”
The marquee at Sandy Lane displayed various rotating messages on Wednesday. There was a plea to follow on Facebook. Another with the current time, so kids knew how quickly to walk to class. There was even a mention of Neal’s honor. Parents noticed and yelled congratulations as they crossed the street with their children.
“You never leave school without thinking about Ms. Linda,” said Mita. “She does so much for everyone and puts a smile on everyone’s face, she deserves to have a smile put on her face.”
Neal gives a lot of credit for her passion to Bettie “B.J.” Scott-Whitter, a veteran educator who died in 2019. She was the “original school greeter and she was a motivator”, according to Neal. Scott-Whitter would come volunteer to help kids cross the street after teaching duties.
“Ms. Bettie you were an angel on earth. For all the children going to school in the morning they received the only hug and encouraging words along with a loving smile,” wrote one entry on her online obituary.
Neal noted how difficult is was for her last year when the kids were sent home from in-person learning due to COVID. She missed the interaction with students. Now that they’re back, the city’s top crossing guard is thankful to be back on the job.
“When they told me that I was totally surprised. Totally surprised. Totally grateful,” she said, reflecting on her award from the city. “I would say I would do this as long as I’m able to do it.”