On the surface, she's an ordinary person performing an ordinary task. But dig just a bit deeper and it becomes apparent that Jeanne Hess is an extraordinary person doing an extraordinary job.

As a crossing guard in Lititz, Hess toils in the business of kids' safety. It's an important job that she takes very seriously.

"I wouldn't be there if I didn't take pride in it," said Hess. "I love the kids. You have to love the kids; if you don't, there's no other benefit. It's rewarding because you know you're helping the children. I am concerned, and you've got to be on top of it. I'm not the only person in the world who can do this, but when they're there, they're my kids."

One of six crossing guards in Lititz, Hess mans the corner of South Broad Street (Route 501) and Orange Street from 7:25 to 8 a.m. and from 2:30 to 2:50 p.m. every school day, rain or shine. On any given day, she helps 65 to 70 pedestrians - mostly students from Lititz Elementary School, Warwick Middle School and Warwick High School - safely navigate the intersection.

Hess is an employee of the borough, but the Warwick School District helps cover the cost of her wages.

"My responsibility is not to direct traffic, but if there's an issue, I have the authority to do so," said Hess. "My main priority is the kids. My job is to get those kids to the other side of the street. It sounds easy until you step in front of a bumper."

"We need crossing guards because people are in too much of a hurry to notice these little bundles of flesh and bones who also have a place to go," Hess continued. "Everyone is in a big old hurry. Everyone is more important than the next one. Generally, people are cautious drivers. It's just a handful of people who come through that make it difficult."

Although there is some initial training involved with becoming a crossing guard, 23 years of practice has helped Hess uncover the nuances of the job. The aid of fourth- and fifth-grade student safety patrols can ease her task just a bit.

"You always want to face the traffic that is moving," explained Hess, a resident of Warwick Township. "You want to make sure cars aren't moving. The kids cross behind your back. You've got to watch the kids with your peripheral vision, but you want to see that the cars aren't moving. You don't want kids to cross against the light; that's what you teach them."

"Safety is important because you want to wake up tomorrow," continued Hess. "You need to make it through the day. You want kids to grow up. You want kids to have a future."

A retired Lancaster County court supervisor, Hess said she's held down two jobs during most of her working years.

"It's a unique job," Hess said of being a crossing guard. "The most rewarding part is the kids' appreciation, the parents' appreciation. It's fun to see the little ones growing up. These kids trust me, and I believe in them that they're going to listen to me. The kids are very polite. It's a mutual appreciation. They're on their best behavior. They're good for me."