Academy District 20 in need of a dozen crossing guards

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Every morning, you'll find Mike Hendrick on the corner of Bridle Oaks Lane and Rock Bridge Circle, outside of The Da Vinci Academy.

He's hard to miss. He has a stop sign in hand and a smile on his face. Every student on the street knows his name.

"Simply put it gives me a chance to serve the community," said Hendricks

"He cares more than anybody else you’re ever going to meet. He’s got the biggest heart and his energy level gets everyone pumped up and ready to go," said Victory Molina, the principal at The Da Vinci Academy.

Hendricks is a crossing guard. He's been at his spot for years now. Before this, he was in the military for 13 years. Hendricks says being a crossing guard gives him purpose again, and it's a job that's dear to his heart.

"Back in 1996 I lost my 11-year-old cousin who got hit by a speed racer, so my mission like I said earlier is to keep these kids safe while they cross the street and if I can make them happy that’s even better," said Hendricks.

Right now, Academy District 20 needs 12 crossing guards. The district says like many positions, the pandemic had an effect on people leaving the job, and it's hard to recruit because of the schedule and pays.

"I know there’s a lot of fear in doing it. I myself am scared every day when I come out here but think of the bigger picture keeping these kids safe," said Hendricks.

To help fill the void other staff members have to fill in.

"Every educator in every school is already doing multiple jobs all the time, and so when we have an opening somewhere, especially in something as vital as a crossing guard, we can’t ignore that. We make adjustments and that might mean we need to cut somewhere else in order to provide the time or the staffing," said Molina.

If you would like to be a crossing guard you can visit the Academy District 20 website.