As a community, we are blessed with some of the finest public schools in the state.

A lot goes into making the high grade, such as having gifted principals, teachers, students, counselors, cooks, janitors, school bus drivers and many others.

One job that really stands out in our community that can never receive enough attention or applause is that of a school crossing guard.

Throughout the year, these dedicated people deal with different types of weather, get to know new faces each school year and face reckless drivers.

Most important, they are there to make sure the children get to and from school safely each and every day.

This is a very important job.

Those who have children now know how valuable these crossing guards are.

They are literally the eyes and ears for parents when they are not with their children.

Our city has eight crossing guards who are employees of the Bowling Green Police Department and are assigned near elementary schools.

While not police officers, they wear uniforms similar to officers except the blaze yellow vest with crossing guard on it.

Crossing guard Betty Natcher is someone who has a true passion and love for the children she sees every day.

Natcher, Potter Gray Elementary School’s crossing guard at Covington Street and Collett Lane, has been helping kids cross the street for 40 years since she began her career at T.C. Cherry Elementary School in 1977.

She recalled how small the children were and still are. She recalled how scared to death she was in the beginning about standing in the middle of the road and directing traffic, but how much she absolutely loves it now.

Natcher really does love the children, as many of them know her name as she does many of theirs.

The dedicated crossing guard doesn’t look at what she does as a job, but more as a pleasure because the kids make her day.

It’s very clear that there is a mutual care and respect between Natcher and the children she interacts with every day.

Sequoia Martin is one of the city’s newest crossing guards. She recently took the place of her late mother, Berenda Martin, who was a crossing guard for 37 years at Scott Way and Jackson Drive near Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School.

Sadly, Berenda Martin passed away on Feb. 25, but on the following Monday Sequoia Martin was standing proudly in her spot and carrying on her mother’s proud legacy.

Her mother must be smiling down from Heaven knowing that her daughter is following in her footsteps.

Sequoia Martin, like Natcher, connects with the children she helps get to and from school safely every day. She talks about how she is not just their crossing guard, but she is also a counselor, a mentor and a second mommy.

It is quite obvious that both women not only love their jobs, but love the children they get to interact with on a daily basis.

This is a very selfless profession and it clearly is a very rewarding one, which is exciting for all.