CLOVER, S.C. — The Rev. Adrian Ballard isn’t just a pastor at Clover Wesleyan Church, he’s also a familiar face directing traffic near Clover High School, where he’s made it his mission to keep students safe from speeding and distracted drivers.
“I like the fact that I’m able to keep people safe and make sure they get in and out,” Ballard said. “Traffic controllers were a lot of times the first person that anyone sees in the day and the last person they see before they go home.”
He directs drivers and pedestrians to and from school but said not everyone has students’ safety in mind.
“Just the fact that there’s so many distracted drivers, this school has been here for a long time,” Ballard said. “It didn’t fall out of the sky, and people come through here 60-70 mph.”
The Clover School District said there are more than 2,500 students at Clover High School but less than 800 student parking spots on campus. The district said it created extra lots, but it’s still not enough. Students can park their vehicles across Highway 55 in a neighborhood in spots rented by homeowners.
“I would say there’s probably between all three entrances, 120 to 140 kids that cross,” Ballard said.
The Clover School District said it won’t build more parking since enrollment will drop when Lake Wylie High School opens next year.
School district official said it created designated zones for students staffed by crossing guards and sent messages to families about crossing procedures.
The district and Ballard want families and drivers to prioritize safety.
“If you think you’re running late, now you get into a wreck or accident out here, you’re really going to be late,” Ballard said.
The new Lake Wylie High School is set open in August 2026 to alleviate the overcrowding at Clover High.
VIDEO: First solar-powered Domino’s opens in Clover
©2025 Cox Media Group
