From safely transporting students to and from school to helping them travel to activities like athletic competitions, LT bus drivers are an integral part of the school community and student life. 

On Oct. 16, LT held their annual Bus Driver Appreciation Day, where the school recognized the dedicated drivers with a celebratory brunch catered by Chef’s Class. 

“Sometimes being a bus driver is not an easy job,” SC Associate Principal Greg Gardner said. “You are working early hours in the morning, sometimes dealing with bad weather, or some challenging personalities. We talk a lot about that sense of belonging in our community for our students and staff, and that extends to our food service and bus drivers, who we want to feel are as much a part of LT as anyone else.”

Over the past 10 or so years, around 35 drivers from First Student Hodgkins Depot and Grand Prairie busing companies have come to enjoy the event unique to LT. Scheduled to start after running their daily routes, the drivers crowded into NC Room 140 at 9:30 a.m. for brunch accompanied by prizes from LT’s Booster Club.

“I’ve worked at five high schools and never has there been a Bus Driver Appreciation Brunch before,” Gardner said. “A lot of the prizes we do are LT merchandise sold by our Booster Club, and sometimes gift cards too.”

Of course, the event wouldn’t have been possible without the 19 Chef’s Class students, plus teacher and Catering Club sponsor Emerson Macek, who prepared the meal and room decor. A capstone culinary class, the year-long course offered to juniors and seniors with a culinary arts prerequisite, plans and fixes meals for LT events. Students of Chef’s Class are automatically members of the Catering Club due to the required after-school work hours for catered functions. 

“For our entrees, we like to do a casserole of some sort because a lot of what we make we’ll make ahead of time and freeze,” Macek said. “We [did] the cinnamon roll casserole, our bagels, muffins, and breakfast sandwiches [beforehand]. We always try to cater to their feedback from last year, where their favorite item was our sandwiches.”

Sponsored by the Parent Teacher Council, LT chefs created a menu consisting of six beverages, including hot drinks and juices, five entrees, and two sides: banana chocolate chip muffins and assorted fruit. 

“It’s important to show them that we appreciate them with all they deal with every day from students, and that they matter,” Chef’s student Amber Rittenhouse ‘26 said. “No matter what we bring for them, which we always try to make sure is nothing but the best, they are so thankful to be there and always go back for seconds.”

Not only do the bus drivers run LT routes in the morning, but they also do so for several other school districts, Gardner said. 

Overall, these unsung heroes play a crucial role in the community, ensuring the daily safety of students. 

“Start saying hello and thank you to your bus driver,” Gardner said. “Some of our students don’t know that some drivers who live in Kankakee leave at about 4:30 in the morning to get their buses ready before they run routes, and there should be more recognition of their dedication.”