And on the first day of school, God created a world full of school children. And He said, “I need someone who’s willing to get up at 4 in the morning or earlier, get ready to commute at least 30 minutes to the bus depot, and make sure the bus is safe and ready for service. Then, they will need to drive the bus to the first stop before the day’s first light.”
So, God made a school transportation professional, who is willing to go through bad weather conditions, to walk a student back to the bus, get them in their seatbelt, and then keep track of multiple students.
And God said, “I need someone with patience and understanding, who is willing to wait a few extra minutes while the students hurry to get dressed because they are running late. Because they overslept from having a rough night.”
So, God made a school transportation professional.
He said, “I need someone who’s willing to put in a full day, volunteer to help out with a school activity, drive 30 minutes or longer back. Then, get four or five hours of sleep and start a brand-new day.”
So, God made a school transportation professional.
He said, “I need someone who is willing to pay their own way to attend seminars to learn how to better themselves, so they can serve their students more effectively.”
So, God made a school transportation professional.
He said, “I need someone who’s willing, even when times get rough and they’re offered a higher salary with better benefits, to stick out a school year. Because they know that the students and their families are counting on them.
So, God made a school transportation professional.
He said, “I need someone who is willing, despite their own personal grief, to come to work with a smile on their face and brighten up the students’ day. Because they might also be having a difficult day.”
So, God made a school transportation professional.
He said, “I need someone to spend their summer vacations going to events to promote a school bus safety poster contest, then organize an event to announce the winners. So that children will make some fun new memories.”
So, God made a school transportation professional.
Here is to the school transportation professionals across the country who, day after day, year after year, make a difference in every student’s and every family’s lives, one by one by one. Together we are one.
Reader Michael Benedict submitted the school bus allegory. Benedict is a school bus attendant for Alpine School District in American Fork, Utah.
