On weekday mornings and afternoons, Don Niles ushers students to safety at Double Branch Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.
Officially, Niles is the school’s crossing guard.
But, the 76-year-old is much, much more to students and faculty.
Known as ‘Mr. Don’ to the Double Branch community, Niles is known for going the extra mile to forge relationships and lend an ear to students.
He’s been known to tell others that he has upwards of “900 grandkids” — a reference to the enrollment at Double Branch Elementary.
“I’m a BFF (Best Friend Forever). I’m a person that these kids can come and talk to about anything that’s bothering them,” Niles said.
“If there’s a bullying situation taking place, these kids can come talk to me,” he added.
Niles recently was named 2017 Florida School Crossing Guard of the Year by the Florida Department of Transportation.
He was chosen from 4,100 school crossing guards in Florida’s 67 counties.
Niles is humbled by the honor, especially for doing something he loves.
“I don’t do this for money or anything else,” Niles said. “I do it because I want to make a difference in these kids’ lives. I want to have an impact on them. I want to help build their self-esteem, their character. It’s all about the kids.”
Double Branch principal Vaughnette Chandler isn’t surprised that Niles was singled out.
She describes him as an “encourager,” who offers daily pep talks to students.
He views his role as going far beyond telling students to look both ways and helping them to negotiate a crossing, she explained.
“Don is a one-of-a kind,” Chandler said.
“He’s that guy that’s talking to the kids every day. He knows them by name, he knows what they like, what they’re doing — in a lot of cases what classroom they’re in — and he’s encouraging them to have a really great day and really just like reach for the stars,” she said.
Niles also makes it a point to reach out to students who may be experiencing personal troubles, the principal added.
“If a child looks like they need somebody to talk to, he’s going to take minute to check with them and see what’s going on,” Chandler said. “If it’s something we need to know about, he’s going to be right here in the school after the kids are on campus to let us know, ‘Hey, we need to check in with this student to see how things are going, or they might need an extra word of encouragement for the day.’”
Ken Mizerek, who is the crossing guard supervisor in District 2, has witnessed Niles’ caring and observant nature, when he has visited Niles’ post at the intersection of Chancey Road and Meadow Pointe Boulevard.
“All our crossing guards do a great job, but Don is the kind of person that goes beyond his schedule of hours,” Mizerek said.
“He shows a lot of interest in the children so they think, ‘Wow, somebody’s listening to me,’ and I think when somebody listens to them then they can them tell their problems; they open up to him,” Mizerek said.
The supervisor also noted Niles frequently introduces students to him, heaping praise on their respective accomplishments.
“He’ll go on and on about the child to me, and that child has got a gleam in his eye because now they feel important also. It’s really exciting to come out to this post and see what goes on here,” Mizerek said.
Niles has been a crossing guard for about eight years. Initially, he worked at Sand Pine Elementary and then moved to Double Branch Elementary seven years ago.
Before becoming a crossing guard, Niles was a probation officer with the Florida Department of Corrections. He handled pre-sentencing investigations for adult felony defenders throughout East Pasco and Central Pasco.
Niles grew up in a poor, single-parent home after his father abandoned him and his mother. He said his upbringing helps him understand the plight of some youths coming from challenging family situations.
He grew up in dangerous neighborhoods and often struggled to find a hearty meal.
“I know what it’s like to come from a defective home and life was not good. The circumstances were really trying at times,” Niles said.
But, despite those hardships, he understood the value of getting an education.
He graduated from Plant High School and went on to earn an honors diploma from the University of South Florida, in criminal justice.
He tries to mentor children in the same way that pastors, teachers and law enforcement officers did for him when he was young.
“These guys made a difference in my life,” Niles said of adult role models. “They were my surrogate parents in a sense. It really gave you a sense of security and safety, and I got a lot of attention from them.”
Besides his crossing guard duties, Niles sponsors four kindergarten classes each year, providing Double Branch teachers with an account to help them buy school supplies. He also donates gifts for Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day.
“When I go through these classes,” Niles said, “it gives me a chance to talk to these kids: ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ Listen guys, I want you to work with your teachers. ‘The teachers are building a foundation for your life, and they need your cooperation,’” Niles said.
Published February 21, 2018
