Derby, Kan. (KAKE) - An airman from Derby is spending mornings and afternoons helping students stay safe on a crosswalk. Tuesday, a car hit a middle school student near James and Woodlawn and the airman wants to make sure that doesn't happen again. 

Tech. Sgt. Aaron Saunders reported for duty on Thursday. Well, not Air Force duty, but crosswalk duty. His assignment, ensuring elementary and middle school students get across the road safe.

“I saw on a post where a girl was hit a couple of days ago, and I know there's been a couple of kids has been hit in the district and I just felt like maybe I could do something to help the situation,” said Saunders.

On Thursday, parents were waving at Saunders, thanking him for his service, to the country and the students. 

“The sad thing is we knew that we didn't have anyone for that one crosswalk in the corner of our campus, and so having the airman there makes us feel a lot more relieved,” said Ashley Hartley, principal of El Paso Elementary School.

Hartley said she was close by during Tuesday’s crash.

 
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“Of course as a principal you go charging to see who it was if they're okay, to check out the situation,” said Harley. 

But now Saunders and his fellow airmen are all going to pitch in to make sure these last few weeks at James and Woodlawn go as they should.

“We could do something about this. A couple of my airmen were like, oh yeah, I’d be interested. And before long word spread and everybody wants to get involved to help,” said Saunders.

Saunders says about 20 to 30 kids cross this intersection, both elementary and middle school. A steady stream of students keeps him at attention.