Shoreline elementary students selected for 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame and honored with a parade

Cameron Cook (Syre) and Elana Bronsther (Echo Lake) hold their award certificates and Hall of Fame shirts after an outdoor award ceremony at Shoreview Park July 7, 2020

COVID-19 cancelled AAA Washington’s annual award ceremony and celebration of the 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame at a Seattle Mariners game.

So AAA Washington honored each of these ten outstanding patrollers from across the state with a parade of recognition.

Two Shoreline elementary students were among the 10 so honored.

Celebrating 2020 AAA Hall of Fame inductees, Shoreline School District students Elana Bronsther (Echo Lake Elementary) and Cameron Cook (Syre Elementary)

In recognition of their dedication to traffic safety, community stewardship and leadership, students Elana Bronsther (Echo Lake Elementary) and Cameron Cook (Syre Elementary) were recently chosen for induction into the 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame.

As a long-standing tradition, a panel of judges from AAA Washington, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission chooses ten top patrollers for induction into the AAA Washington School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame. 

Nominations require input from both the patroller and their advisor, including responses to a series of essay questions. This year, the panel received nearly 45 nominations from across the state to review and evaluate.

Elana Bronsther 2020
Safety Patrol Hall of Fame

Elana Bronsther – Echo Lake Elementary

Bronsther took action when she spotted safety issues at her school, creating a new patroller post in a hallway where unsafe and loud first graders waited for classes to begin. 

Patrol advisor, Joe Wack says she found a way to reassign four patrollers to that area without affecting the other posts. He calls it a wonderful improvement for the school.

As instructed, Bronsther notified Wack when she saw a parent driving while talking or texting on a cell phone.

The advisor says one parent, initially angry about her report, later thanked Bronsther for doing her job. 

“This parent finally realized the bigger picture of student safety,” Wack said. 

“She was very apologetic and complemented Bronsther for having the courage to speak up about her dangerous driving habit.”

Cameron Cook 2020
Safety Patrol Hall of Fame

Cameron Cook – Syre Elementary

Cook’s nomination centered on his drive towards making things better. The patrol captain consistently led by example, jumping in where needed, demonstrating the proper management of each post. 

It is an intimidating task for any sixth-grader, telling fellow students how to behave. 

Cook’s ability for speaking up and enforcing the rules impressed patrol advisor Jenny Hodgen. 

She is a big fan of his new program, rewarding students who obey the rules with positive behavior slips. 

“Cook’s idea of using positive reinforcements for students in order to encourage the desired behavior is exactly what we were looking for,” Hodgen said. 

“He is always seeking ways to improve the system and make the job safer for students.”


On Tuesday, July 7 at 2:30pm at Shoreview Park, 700 NW Innis Arden Way, these two were presented with their certificates and honored with a parade.

Screenshot from parade video

The link to a parade video posted on AAA Washington’s Facebook and Twitter sites is HERE (2 min 6 sec). It included a tow truck and two Shoreline Police vehicles with lights flashing!

The 2020 AAA Washington School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame class includes seven girls and three boys from rural and urban communities across Washington.

2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame Inductees

Cameron Boness, Ritzville Grade School - Ritzville

Elana Bronsther, Echo Lake Elementary - Shoreline

Brooke Chisholm, Moran Prairie Elementary - Spokane

Cameron Cook, Syre Elementary - Shoreline

Isabelle Crochet, Carson Elementary - Puyallup

Adelyn Etzel, Marcus Whitman Elementary - Richland

Brian McGann, Hamblen Elementary - Spokane

Victoria Ngo, Tiffany Park Elementary - Renton

Sabine Pasinetti, Forest View Elementary - Everett

Arielle Valencia, Allen Creek Elementary - Marysville

In addition to naming the 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame class, AAA Washington is honoring one member of an Everett patrol with a AAA Lifesaver Award. While on patrol in January, Garfield Elementary student, Morgan deLeur, saved the life of a peer, pulling her out of the path of a car driven through a crosswalk.

Patricia Boudreaux is the 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Advisor of the Year for her 26 years advising and leading student patrollers at Adams Elementary in Spokane.

AAA created the School Safety Patrol 100 years ago, and has been inducting outstanding patrollers into the local Hall of Fame for 29 years, and partners with local agencies to bring the program to elementary schools across Washington.

AAA Washington has been serving members and the traveling public since 1904. The organization provides a variety of exclusive benefits, including roadside assistance, discounts, maps and personalized trip planning, to its 1.2 million members. 1-800-562-2582.