A team of three drivers were named Trucker Buddy of the Month for April.
Frank Silio and Jill and David Studney all worked together, along with the Studney’s dog Riggs, to teach Ms. Lenae Herman’s elementary students at Del Prado Elementary in Boca Raton, Florida about states, capitals, major highways, climates, products, border states and facts that make each state unique.
“Last summer Frank and I began planning my educational goals for the 2011-2012 school year, Herman stated. Frank’s enthusiasm, experiences and receptiveness was evident after our first conversation. Each of the drivers wrote the students a letter that addressed all of their questions. Postcards were sent from each state that they traveled to with educational information and trivia about each state. They traveled to 42 of the 50 states in the U.S. My students enthusiastically placed flags on a U.S. map, requested to assemble U.S. puzzles and work on Geo Safari globes to verify information that was forwarded by the Studneys.
CDL Life has regular features about Trucker Buddy International.
- Trucker Buddy of the Month March 2012
- Trucker Buddy Takes Class to Iowa 80 Truck Stop
- Trucker Buddy International Makes a Difference
The team of drivers wrote letters and sent postcards from 42 states.
Herman said she was amazed at all that the driver had taught her students.
In my 29 years of teaching, I have never seen the children learn so eagerly what most adults don’t have a clue about, Herman said. The children wanted to learn to write letters from the inception of the program and became master writers due to having a purpose for their writing. The most popular class activity is reading the Trucker Buddy album.
On Monday, April 9, 2012, the trio of drivers, along with Rigg, were welcomed by 300 excited Del Prado Elementary students.
Silio and the Studney’s pulled their rigs into the bus loop and allowed all the students to climb up into their trucks and explore.
For their efforts, the drivers were presented with Del Pedro t-shirts and were made honorary teachers. The drivers were also treated to lunch and gifts.
Baskets filled with unique gifts were presented to our trucker friends, Herman added. Our buddies were amazed to see the class’s 15-foot board that housed photos of a year of trucker buddy travel that was sequenced from fall until spring. They also loved our U.S. map that was filled with flags on the 50 states that were visited.
“Their commitment to the goals of Trucker Buddy International, and enriching the lives of the children at Del Prado Elementary, are above reproach. Jill continues to send every child in my class photos of themselves with Jill and Riggs! Amazing! I am grateful for being matched with trucker friends that created memories that will last a lifetime. They will always remain near and dear to our hearts,” said Herman.
If you would like to get involved and help young students explore their world, visit Trucker Buddy International.