Sometimes, the kids in Stephanie Williams’s kindergarten class need a little extra motivation. While some students prefer material rewards for good behavior, all Kameron Eisenberg wanted was to be the first one on the bus. That way, he’d be able to spend a little extra time with his good friend, school bus driver Charles Frierson. In the few minutes they shared together each afternoon, Charles (aka Mr. Charles) would chat with Kameron, encourage him, and generally brighten his day.
“I always ask the kids, ‘What do you want to work for today?’ And he said, ‘I want to work to see the bus,'” Stephanie said in a video for the Berkeley County School District. “Just being the first one on the bus and talking to Mr. Charles does not seem like a lot, but to him it’s the world.”
At the beginning of the school year, Kameron was having some difficulties in class. His behavior got him sent to the administrator’s office almost every day. However, getting to hang out with Mr. Charles turned out to be a strong motivator for the kindergartener to follow directions. After checking in with his teacher, the bus driver would sometimes even talk to him about any problems he was having in school.
Stephanie saw a huge change in Kameron’s attitude once the boy started talking to Mr. Charles every day. So did Kameron’s mom. In fact, she was so grateful for the driver’s positive influence that she decided to write him a letter. As the note was read aloud to Charles on camera, he started to tear up.
“I have always believed angels come when you least expect them,” the mom wrote. “This holds especially true in regards to Mr. Charles… I would like him to know how much we truly and absolutely [love] him for who he is and what he has done for my son.”
According to School Transportation News, Charles and Kameron often get ice cream together now that school is out for the summer. The bus driver also cheers him on at his weekend baseball games.
Watch the story of Charles and Kameron’s unique friendship in the video below.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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