For the last week, the Trigg County Schools Transportation and Bus Garage has had an uncommon route in its plan.
By 6:15 a.m., a bus driver arrives at Lake Barkley State Resort Park to pick up more than 20 or so kids ready for school.
From there, they’ll cross two spanning bridges in Land Between the Lakes and make another stop at Kenlake State Resort Park around 6:40 a.m. for more children — then slip into Hardin for another student.
And then, they’ll bound for Mayfield and Graves County schools — dropping off what Trigg County school officials keep saying as “courteous, thankful” children that are displaced and homeless from the December 10 & 11 tornadoes.
The same trip is made late in the afternoon, bringing those children back to their temporary homes.
While it’s not so much a random act of kindness, Trigg County superintendent Bill Thorpe noted it was “yeoman’s work” and a necessary community effort during Thursday’s school board meeting.
Through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, Thorpe said there was federal law and precedence in place to have a neighboring district respond in a natural disaster.
Though it’s undergone multiple revisions in the last 35 years, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act generally defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence,” and it includes any children sharing housing with other people due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar circumstances.
The act guarantees federal assistance to homeless organizations who respond to this specific need, and as such, Thorpe said he expects Trigg County Schools to eventually be reimbursed for their efforts — particularly through the recently unanimously-passed House Bill 5 in the Kentucky General Assembly, which will provide $200 million in west Kentucky tornado relief.
In the interim, Trigg County’s bus garage is fully staffed, but Thorpe noted he’s on the list to drive.
Trigg County Bus Garage Clerk Dispatch Carol Black, a driver for more than two decades in Cerulean, said she went on the route Monday — and added the kids were “terrific.”
Per Black, three buses from Trigg County’s fleet are also on loan in Mayfield — with the Wildcats one of many districts in west Kentucky offering up its transportation resources to the storm-torn area.
Drivers and monitors for this route are Ryan Heneghan, Mike Hickle, Kim Ennis and Judy Jenkins.