ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Orange County Sheriff's Office has a shortage of crossing guards for the upcoming school year.
OCSO needs about 50 new school crossing guards before Aug. 14. The Sheriff's office only requires 2 hours of work a day with a pay of $12.50 an hour.
According to the release, cash allowances are paid for recruiting assistance and good attendance. It will be at no expense to the guards for training, protective clothing and safety equipment, the release said.
There are nine schools that currently need applicants, including:
Bay Lake Elementary
Dr. Phillips Elementary
Keene's Crossing Elementary
Lockhart Elementary
Riverside Park Elementary
Southwest Middle
Southwood Elementary
Sunset Park Elementary
Tangelo Park Elementary
According to the release, candidates for employment must meet the minimum employment requirements:
- Be able to see potential traffic hazards.
- Be able to move fast to avoid danger.
- Be able to understand and speak in verbal and written English.
- Be legally eligible to work in the United States.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Veterans of military service must be honorably separated.
About a dozen people wanting to become crossing guards trained Wednesday at the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
"This is a rewarding job," said Damaris Febus, who has been on the worked as a crossing guard for 8 years.
She added that the job allows her to get results for her community every day by teaching kids about safety.
"Some day when they're adults, they'll be crossing the streets and they'll remember, 'Oh, Ms. Damaris told me to do this,' and they'll do it," she said.
Bertis Negron is in charge of training crossing guards. She likes seeing the children she helps get to and from school grow up.
"You're part of the community," she said. "You're the extra eyes and ears of the community. You will be seeing things and reporting things that happen in the community."
If some of those 50 vacancies are not filled, the Orange County Sheriff's Office will have deputies assist children crossing streets at the busiest intersections.
Anyone interested in applying can visit the Orange County Sheriff's Office's website at www.ocso.com.