First Student driver Jasmine Dirkes from Alaska has been recognized for her exceptional service to the students she transports on her daily school bus routes.
“It means a lot. It was touching and it made me feel like they appreciate me. It was almost like winning the lottery,” said Dirkes about her First Driver recognition.
To add to her list of accomplishments, the Alaska Head Start Association (AHSA) recently named Dirkes as the 2016 Bus Driver of the Year. Dirkes was also named 2016 Bus Driver of the Year by CCS Early Learning.
Dirkes has served as a school bus driver for First Student for the past 13 years, but also serves as the operations supervisor and is responsible for the overall performance of the company’s Anchorage location, which provides transportation service to more than 600 Head Start children and families at five locations in Anchorage, Chugiak, Wasilla, Big Lake and Sutton. Alaska Head Start is the state’s largest early childhood program.
During her free time, Dirkes also volunteers to help CCS and its students.
Although Dirkes wears several hats, she still finds time to drive a school bus every day to multiple locations and prides herself on knowing the names of all the children she transports, as well as building “long-lasting relationships with them.”
Taking into consideration the student’s different backgrounds, Dirkes opts to make their time on her bus as comfortable and fun as possible by signing songs and decorating the bus for the students.
By posting Pokémon, superheroes, My Little Pony and holiday decorations on the school bus’s ceiling Dirkes shows the children how deeply she cares for them, and it also helps the bus ride go a lot smoother she said.
“Jasmine is most deserving of this special recognition,” said First Student Area General Manager Bill Noftz. “Her commitment to the children she transports, the customer she serves and the company is unparalleled. The award is a true testament to her hard work and dedication.”
