Crossing guard brings joy to New Hope with his own ‘Safety Dance’

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – When you think of a school crossing patrol officer, directing traffic is what comes to mind.

But, traffic alone doesn’t come to mind when we think of Officer Cisco in New Hope.

His whistle, his moves, and his love for the job keep everyone rolling smoothly.

Moving to the beat of his whistle and showing off a few moves in his signature white gloves, is how Sexto Aviles starts every morning.

“I love it. I make the people smile when they come through there, they will be smiling. You know how a morning person, they’re kind hhmmm, grouchy like, and they’ll be smiling, waving, like you see. Even the kids, they’ll be waving. They love,” says Aviles.

For three years his directions have looked more like dance moves, getting buses and cars through busy intersections at New Hope School.

Better known as Officer Cisco, he’s got his own style, and several nicknames.

It’s hard to believe this is his first crossing guard gig.

The love he shows for the job, is felt in every vehicle that passes by.

“Ellis gave the crossing guard a happy. We call him ‘Happy Feet’ because he likes to dance in the mornings,” says New Hope resident, Anna Hudson.

“He’s just happy. He always has a smile on his face and a little happy dance going on to wave the cars through. It’s just a bright spot as we travel to work in the morning.”

Rain or shine, hot or cold, this is where you’ll catch Officer Cisco never missing a beat.

Each turn and twist, it’s easy to see why he’s a ray of sunshine before the morning bell rings.

“He’s always got a smile on his face every morning. It’s kind of like something good to see, like especially, on a Monday. He’s always happy on a Monday, so that makes him stand out. It makes him different,” says New Hope High student, Brandon Hardin.

“It means a lot to me, you know, making them smile and all of that, but it’s not all about me, it’s only God. He’s the one that’s inside of me, that did this for me. He’s the one, not me.”

“One guy brought me some candy and a letter that said, it said, you leave your fingerprints on me.”

Buses will soon be parked for the summer, but in a few short months students will see and hear Officer Cisco on his crossing guard stage.

Officer Cisco also provides security for one of the school buildings on campus.