KENOSHA, Wis. — In a crowd of over 600 Kenosha Safety Patrol students, one stood out from the others.
And it certainly wasn’t for being the loudest.
Jefferson Elementary fifth grader Josiah Alcantara was awarded as the Kenosha Safety Patroller of the Year on Tuesday at Action Territory.
It was part of the year-end awards ceremony conducted by Kenosha Police Department Safety Officer Tyler Cochran.
“We get many nominations that come from the teachers, from the schools, and it’s one of those things where it’s so hard to choose one,” Cochran said. “This one definitely stood out though. Awesome, amazing kid. Great leader.”
Kenosha started a safety patrol in the 1950s to help students get to and from school safely.
One month ago, Alcantara was just blocks from school when his little sister Laylanni needed him the most.
“She was attacked by a dog,” said Brittany Stockton, the aunt of Josiah and Laylanni.
“She got gouged in the face and all down her back and her head and she was dragged. All the other kids ran away and (Josiah) decided to stay.”
News of Josiah’s bravery became widespread throughout the school.
“He just kept fighting the dog off as much as he could,” Stockton said. “He finally got the dog off of her.”
Laylanni is in good spirits and remains on the road to recovery, according to Stockton.
Stockton was one of many members of Josiah’s family at Tuesday’s event. Josiah said he wasn’t sure why they were all there.
“I was very surprised,” Josiah Alcantara said. “I noticed my family was here. I thought they were just coming to watch me.”
There was no reception speech from Josiah, a young man who believes in actions over words.
“It felt good,” Josiah said.
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