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Photos by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Teaching assistant Jennifer Foley holds kindergartner Kyra Nelson during a music exercise Monday afternoon at Garden City Elementary School.

The Project Lifesaver ankle bracelets, which are used to track children with autism in case of emergency, are outfitted with new batteries on a regular basis by volunteers.

A small device used by some local kids goes a long way toward giving their parents and teachers peace of mind.

"It's a wonderful, wonderful thing," said Erik Largen, teacher of third through fifth grade students in the regional autism program at Garden City Elementary School, which has students from Roanoke, Salem and Botetourt and Franklin counties.

Project Lifesaver provides ankle bracelets for children with autism, allowing police to track and locate them rapidly should they wander off. The bracelets are free, and volunteers visit schools once a month to change the batteries.

Dee Copenhaver volunteers with Project Lifesaver, having retired from years of teaching at the elementary school level in Roanoke City Public Schools.

"I think it's just a reassurance for the parents and family members of the kids," Copenhaver said.

She became a volunteer after attending the citizens police academy a few years ago, and enjoys providing a helpful service that takes only one day a month out of her schedule.

Loretta Shrewsbury teaches the kindergarten through second grade autism class at Garden City. She said one of her eight students wears a Project Lifesaver ankle bracelet, though she's had others wear them in the past. She said an incident involving the student wandering off is what prompted his parents to take advantage of the bracelet.

Largen has two students who wear bracelets, which can come in handy, especially if they have limited verbal ability.

"I really encourage parents to contact police and get one for their child," he said.

"When a child is lost and can't communicate where they live, that can be a scary thing."

Much of Shrewsbury's lesson plans involved building verbal communication by using visual aids. Whenever a child is assigned a project lifesaver bracelet, she includes the bracelet's information with their individual education plan, which is a set of goals and objects for each student.

Project Lifesaver also makes ankle bracelets available for those who are mentally disabled or have Alzheimer's disease.