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PARKERSBURG -Thousands of students in Wood County who walk to and from school rely on crossing guards to get them safely across the street.

"We have quite a few neighborhood community schools with a lot of walkers," said Sue Woodward, spokeswoman for Wood County Schools. "We do rely heavily on the crossing guards to keep our kids safe."

Among the schools with a large population of walkers are Neale and Greenmont elementary schools in Vienna and Jefferson and McKinley elementary schools in Parkersburg.

There are 21 crossing guards employed by the Parkersburg Police Department and five employed by the Vienna Police Department. They work about three hours a day, in the morning before school and in the afternoon when school lets out.

All crossing guards wear a reflective orange vest and carry a bright orange flag.

"We probably have close to a hundred students who walk to and from school on a daily basis here," said Mike Fling, principal of Neale Elementary School. "We are blessed to have a crossing guard on each side of Grand Central Avenue. And they have important jobs, especially on that street, which is very busy."

Fling said an average of 5,000 cars drive past the school each day on Grand Central Avenue, making it a heavy traffic area.

"We don't have enough school personnel to help cross the kids every day, so we are very fortunate to have the crossing guards," he said. "They really do provide a vital service for us."

Each year, crossing guards undergo several hours of training led by the local police departments on traffic laws and safety procedures.

Pam James has been a crossing guard for Wood County schools for nearly 26 years. She worked for 23 years at McKinley School and spent the past three years at Jefferson School, to be close to her granddaughter.

"I love my job. I love being here for the kids when they come to school. I try to cheer them up with a smile and tell them to have a good day," said James, who crosses children at the intersection of Plum and 13th streets.

During the cold winter months, James said she wears layers of clothing, a hat and gloves to keep warm.

"I actually don't mind the cold, but when that wind blows, it can get uncomfortable," she said. "I'm always telling the kids to zip up their coats."

Over the years, James has formed friendships with the parents and students she sees every weekday. Even strangers driving through the intersection wave to James and the students.

"The kids are pretty cool. I've tried to keep in touch with a lot of them. Every once and a while I'll see a student around town who is all grown up who remembers me from years ago. I might have gray hair now, but I'm still the same. They will probably always remember me as the lady with the orange flag who used to cross the street with them."

James recalled a day several months ago when a former student gave her a music box, and inside was a handwritten note that read, "You made my school day better by giving me a smile."

"It's true," she said. "I always try to keep a smile on my face. Some of the kids in the morning can be a little sleepy and might not want to go to school, but I think I do my best to get them a little more excited about it."

James said she takes pride in her job, and takes the safety of the students very seriously.

"The kids are not allowed to cross without me," she said. "I'll always let them know if they do something wrong. It's my job to watch out for them."