Position: Bus Driver
School: Kamehameha School- Kapalama Campus
School District: Kamehameha School
City, State: Honolulu, HI
WHERE DO I BEGIN?
Kamalani and I met Mr.Theo back in 2021. Kamalani got accepted into Kindergarten at Kamehameha School here on Oahu. My family and I live 30 miles away and we collectively decided that exploring school by the catching bus would be in her best interest. You can imagine how much anxiety we had on our first day! As we walked to the entrance of the bus, we immediately were greeted by an amazing soul, Mr.Theo. He kindly greeted us by saying, "Good morning, what is your name? I am Mr.Theo." We exchanged names and had a brief conversation. As I expressed my concerns, he reassured me that the childrens' safety to and from school is his upmost priority.
As the days go by, you can witness the emotional investment he has for these children. Every morning he greets each child by their first name and exudes love as a parent would to their own. He is aware when his kids are not themselves, expresses concern and communicates through prior experiences, morals and values to help solve problems.
Although the spends under 3 hours a day with the children, he has a strong impact on them and a strong connection with the parents as well. He teaches the kids the importance of respecting one another, how to follow rules, and consequences for their actions. He is an open book when it comes to communicating both good and bad news.
It takes a special individual to be involved in our childrens' lives. He's not just a bus driver! Mr. Theo exemplifies his ability for impacting lives by committing to their safety and providing leadership on his route, while also nurturing 50 students because he understands it is in their best interest.
Kamalani has been blessed to have Mr.Theo as her first designated bus driver these past 2 years. He has set huge standards for what we will look for with our next bus route. I knew Kamalani was safe with Mr. Theo with no doubt in mind. We are sad to see you leave your route Mr. Theo and we want you to know you are the reason we looked forward to every morning! Continue to be Gods vessel on nourishing and loving these children the way you do, and we will celebrate you when you retire.