The safety patrol at Southwestern Elementary School recently received a $500 advancement grant from AAA to supply the club with more resources.

While hundreds of schools applied for it, Southwestern was one of only 10 safety patrols in the country to receive the grant.

Safety Patrol sponsor Tammy Spruill said she was thrilled to find out Southwestern was selected because it means they will be able to afford new equipment for the patrollers.

“I felt great because we finally get to get something for our kids,” she said.

Spruill said because Southwestern is a public school, it doesn’t always have the money to get equipment.

She said the group plans to use the money to buy new safety equipment and training videos and books.

This year, the Southwestern safety patrol had 23 members, one of whom — fifth-grader Aliyyah Copeland — was named AAA Tidewater’s Safety Patroller of the Year for 2011. Copeland also was named to the AAA Tidewater’s Safety Patrol Hall of Fame.

Spruill said she, co-sponsor Donna Scarbel and the students have worked hard this year to have a successful program.

She said with the new equipment and training resources, she hopes the safety patrollers will be able to be even better role models for their fellow students.

“We’re hoping by training the safety patrollers, they can go into the classrooms to help the other students stay safe,” Spruill said.

The check for $500 was presented to the safety patrol during student awards day at Southwestern on Wednesday.