INDIANAPOLIS -- January’s Jefferson Award honored a woman who is striving to make a difference by volunteering at one central Indiana elementary school.

For the past 10 years, Terri Morgan, a proud parent, has volunteered at Eleanor Skillen School 34. She does everything from organizing fundraisers to working as a crossing guard.

It’s a job she takes very seriously, no matter what the weather, RTV6's Ericka Flye reported.

“When it gets really icy, I have ice things that I put on the bottom of my shoes to make sure I don't slide. Occasionally, I go home with wet tennis shoes,” Morgan said.

Morgan said she volunteers because there aren’t always enough helping hands to go around.

"The teachers don't have enough hands to get all their materials ready for classrooms, and get everything ready to go for the semester. They've got enough on their minds, trying to make sure the kids get through their next testing scores,” she said.

Morgan said she has a vested interest in School 34 because one of her daughters attends the school and she wants to ensure the success of all the students.

“All the kids have different needs. It’s emotional. It’s learning how to be happy with their accomplishments and how to look a little higher,” she said.

In turn, students at the school wanted to show Morgan how much her dedication means to them by nominating her for the Jefferson Award.

“A lot of times, it’s just a smile a day. It might just be a giggle or someone high-fiving me in the hallway," Morgan said.

She said she also hopes to inspire other parents to volunteer at their child’s local school.

"Just an hour or two a month would make a huge difference to their own kids, to other kids and to them as a parent,” Morgan said.