‘My Reward is Seeing Those Little Faces Get on the Bus in the Morning’

Last week La Grange bus drivers and maintenance workers were honored with a lunch and ceremony organized by Cami Dixon of Woodmen Life. Those who are bus drivers are listed with how many years they have been driving: (front, from left) Maria B. Orona (30 years), Aurora Trevino (31 years); (second row) Shela Kelly (45 years), Patricia Ellis (43 years), Ruth McLaughlin (35 years); (third row) Cami Dixon, Tami Kubos (25 years), Scottie Williams (nine years), Kenneth Chovanec (Maintenance and bus driver substitute), Nicole Prasek (Maintenance Coordinator), (back) Jeff King (maintenance), Roque Macal (maintenance), Freddie Dobbins (10 years), Brian Hollandsworth (Maintenance), Michael McKee (one year), Woodmen Regional Director Stacy Anderson and Stacy Eilers (assistant superintendent). Photo by Jeff Wick

La Grange Bus Drivers, Maintenance Workers Honored for Service

Bus drivers and maintenance folks are the unsung heroes of schools.

From getting kids to and from campus safely to making sure students have a clean, safe place to learn – they are a vital part of the educational experience.

Too often their contributions are overlooked, but the last week of school, Cami Dixon of Woodmen Life in La Grange organized a special lunch and recognition ceremony for LGISD bus drivers and maintenance staff.

Bus drivers were given special certificates designating their years of service – and some of their totals were truly amazing.

Shela Kelly has been driving school buses for 45 years, most of that at La Grange.

Patricia Ellis has been driving buses here for 43 years.

We caught up with them at the ceremony, and both said driving a bus is a labor of love – and something they plan to keep doing.

“I just don’t know how to quit,” Kelly laughed. “I love kids ... I tell people all the time that this is my family.”

Ellis said, “my reward is getting to see those little faces get on the bus in the morning. They might be sad, but I’m goofy so they don’t get off the bus the same way they came on.

“It’s great to be able to guide them on in life. Some of them, their parents work, so I’m kinda like that second momma, grandma now.”

Both Kelly and Ellis said they plan to keep driving busses for years to come.

Tami Kubos, transportation supervisor spoke highly of her crew. “They get here at 5:45 in the morning, work until 8-8:30 a.m. and then come back here at 3 and are here until 5-5:30 p.m,” Kubos said. “We have an awesome crew.”