Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Judi Charles (center) holds up the plaque made in dedication for her late husband Jesse Charles and the volunteer work he did at East Side Elementary. Standing with Charles are East Side kindergarten teacher Carla Bryant (right) and PTO president Kaci Miller (left).
WORLAND - Longtime crossing guard and school volunteer Jesse Charles was honored posthumously at a ceremony last Monday, March 28.
The ceremony was at East Side Elementary School where Charles volunteered.
East Side teacher Carla Bryant and East Side Parent Teacher Organization President Kacie Miller, who helped organize the event, presented the plaque to Jesse's wife Judi Charles.
Bryant said, "For years and years, Judi and her husband Jesse devoted hours of their time as volunteers for East Side School. To honor his work and love for the kids, we had this plaque made that will hang in the school.
"We are all so thankful for all both Jesse and Judi did for our East Side kiddos."
The plaque that now hangs just inside the front doors has photos of Charles in his many costumes as a crossing guard. It denotes the years he volunteered, 2008 to 2020. The inscription is "Adored by all for his unwavering dedication and heartfelt enthusiasm for our children and community."
Linda Anderson, who was principal during Jesse Charles' volunteer service, said in an interview last week that before he began crossing guard duties at 15th and Pulliam he had been visiting the school to teach the fifth graders about the flag. She said at that time, when East Side was a neighborhood school, the fifth graders were responsible for raising the flag each morning and taking it down at the end of the school day.
She said he and his son came and talked with them, as a past military person, about the honor of doing that job and being respectful of the flag.
He then came and asked about being a crossing guard. She said before his volunteer, it was the teachers who handled crossing guard duty.
"They were thrilled, as was I. It's one of the stressors of the jobs as a principal is to get the kids there safely. Just knowing he was there was good," Anderson said.
She said Charles reminded her of a mail carrier because no matter the weather, he was there.
"He didn't get paid monetarily, he got paid with the smiles of the kids and the waves from the parents. That was his pay and that's all he wanted," she said.
Anderson added that Charles was also like an educator in that he worked 180 days with summers off, but added that he did not actually take the summers off as he and his wife Judi would visit yard sales and thrift stores looking for clothing or costumes for his crossing guard duty.
"We might all ask that question 'what am I going to wear that morning,' but Jesse took that to a higher level," she said.
Anderson added, "He was and is an angel. Judi was a big part of that."
Judi, especially on the first day of school, would often be found with Jesse giving students a pencil or a treat or both.
"They were and are great people in the community. It's people like that who give us hope for the future. They are good role models for all of us," Anderson said.
Jesse Charles, who passed away Oct. 11, 2021, had been honored several times for his community work. In 2012 he was honored by the Washakie County Homemakers as the Unsung Hero. At that time Charles said, "I really appreciate this honor. I just enjoy doing it for the kids and to make sure they are safe."
Also in 2012, Charles was honored by the Washakie County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees with their Bell Ringer Award. Then Chairman Don Bryant said, "We see [Charles] out every day whether it's 40 below or 10 above," he said. Bryant added that Charles is someone who affects students, not necessarily in the classroom, every day.
