Above and  Beyond Awards

Over nineteen years ago, Julie became a special needs driver for East Allen County Schools.  When she started, she took great interest in the safety of the children she was transporting.  Julie took it upon herself to learn every safety precaution necessary to ensure all of her students were secured properly. 

Julie has dedicated her life to educating others on the safe transportation of special need students who have only the driver to secure their safety. She created many innovative ideas in training and education of special needs drivers and students. Her vision and skills caught the attention of the news and television media in Fort Wayne with her training and exercise techniques that brought all Allen County emergency personnel and school bus drivers together with live television coverage on special needs evacuation.  She developed a mentoring program and is one of the best teaching tools to involve veteran drivers with new drivers forming an immediate camaraderie and partnership and the understanding and importance of safe transportation. 

Julie has many accomplishments and has obtained many achievements. She serves on the committee for the Allen County Safety Commission.  She is involved with NHTSA as a curriculum reviewer and instructor for their National CPS Certification Training Program. She is also an Instructor for NHTSA’s Child Passenger Safety Restraint Systems on School Buses National Training. She is the Chairman for the School Transportation Association of Indiana Special Needs Committee and is a state and national instructor.  She has been recognized for her mentoring program, which she developed in the ISTA magazine.  Julie and the Special Needs Committee members were the first state recipients of the Outstanding Service Award that is presented by STAI to an Indiana individual or team who has exhibited extraordinary dedication and devotion in the field of student transportation.

Julie is dedicated to the field of special needs transportation not only for the students, but also for the parents and for the communities concerns at heart.  She is a person who has dedicated herself to making a difference in so many special children’s lives. 

Pictured (from left to right): Bill Beck (Product Specialist, Sure-Lok),  Julie Ely and Jim Scroggin (President, STAI)