For nearly three decades, there’s a woman who has been one of the first faces some students in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, see in the morning and the last face they see at the end of the school day.She never really grasped the impact she was having on students in the Hempfield School District – until recently.Sharon Eckman has been a bus driver for 29 years.”I just love the kids and have met great parents along the way,” she said.”I would always come on the bus excited for the day because it was so welcoming,” senior Natalie Bole said.A few weeks ago, Bole had a special request for the woman who has been her bus driver most of her life.”Somebody who’s had a great impact on you, that has supported you throughout your years at Hempfield and has influenced you to do greater things in the future,” Bole said.For Bole, that is Eckman.”I’m speechless that she picked me,” Eckman said.Bole chose Eckman to be her guest at the senior lacrosse players’ “teacher appreciation” game.”I was super excited to let her know. I know she definitely appreciates it a lot. She doesn’t get a lot of attention, and she really deserves it. She taught me how to be kind and compassionate to other people. It’s the little things that you do are what matters and how you treat other people is what matters,” Bole said.”I was overwhelmed, and I still am. It’s not me. It’s God who works through me. It’s the Holy Spirit that lives inside of me, that makes me who I am or I wouldn’t be who I am without Him. He’s my mentor,” Eckman said.Eckman has a message for all the other students who enter her bus.”Know that somebody cares for them. That’s what I want to do. I want them to know that I’m not just your bus driver. I’m here for you,” Eckman said.The seniors were going to acknowledge their teachers at the beginning of Tuesday’s lacrosse game. They pushed the ceremony to halftime instead, so Eckman could finish her bus run and then get to the game in time to be recognized.
For nearly three decades, there’s a woman who has been one of the first faces some students in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, see in the morning and the last face they see at the end of the school day.
She never really grasped the impact she was having on students in the Hempfield School District – until recently.
Sharon Eckman has been a bus driver for 29 years.
“I just love the kids and have met great parents along the way,” she said.
“I would always come on the bus excited for the day because it was so welcoming,” senior Natalie Bole said.
A few weeks ago, Bole had a special request for the woman who has been her bus driver most of her life.
“Somebody who’s had a great impact on you, that has supported you throughout your years at Hempfield and has influenced you to do greater things in the future,” Bole said.
For Bole, that is Eckman.
“I’m speechless that she picked me,” Eckman said.
Bole chose Eckman to be her guest at the senior lacrosse players’ “teacher appreciation” game.
“I was super excited to let her know. I know she definitely appreciates it a lot. She doesn’t get a lot of attention, and she really deserves it. She taught me how to be kind and compassionate to other people. It’s the little things that you do are what matters and how you treat other people is what matters,” Bole said.
“I was overwhelmed, and I still am. It’s not me. It’s God who works through me. It’s the Holy Spirit that lives inside of me, that makes me who I am or I wouldn’t be who I am without Him. He’s my mentor,” Eckman said.
Eckman has a message for all the other students who enter her bus.
“Know that somebody cares for them. That’s what I want to do. I want them to know that I’m not just your bus driver. I’m here for you,” Eckman said.
The seniors were going to acknowledge their teachers at the beginning of Tuesday’s lacrosse game. They pushed the ceremony to halftime instead, so Eckman could finish her bus run and then get to the game in time to be recognized.
