Bus Driver Becomes Hero For Helping Students With Reading & Receives Kind-Hearted Gift

May 02, 2023

Reading is one of the most vital learning tools that any child needs when growing up. While reading has been made interesting by many teachers, some students still encounter difficulties in maintaining their interest because of many factors. A significant portion of the time, many students weren’t able to follow up and practice reading while they were not in their classrooms. 

New Jersey school bus driver Herman Cruse, 55, can very well relate to that. This is because when he overheard one of the students he drives to and from school ranting about how he could not complete the reading assignment, he offered his help very graciously. Apparently, the kid could not finish it because his parents were busy tending to his other siblings. 

“I told him, ‘Listen, I have some free time, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to come to the school and read with you,’” Cruse recalled in an interview with The Washington Post. 

After getting permission from the kid’s teacher, Alex Bakely, Cruse hopped into his class the week after, to the little kid’s delight. As they were trying to read, Cruse had a beeline behind him, another kid got interested, and suddenly, the whole class wanted to be read by Cruse. 

“Herman is goofy, silly and super positive and the kids love him. He’s a bright light at our school who makes every child feel loved and heard — they’re all drawn to his energy,” Bakely told the outlet about Cruse. 

Since then, Bakely has become a mainstay at Middle Township Elementary #1 in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. He has helped Bakley’s class of 18 students and another class with reading twice a week, and he even tutors first and second-graders on a third day, all while being a school bus driver. 

Cruse’s love for reading stemmed back when he was still a child. He vividly remembered when he was the same age when his mother bought a World Book Encyclopedia, which he revealed to have read from A to Z. 

“I was literally a voracious reader and it just expands your mind. And I just part that gift to the kids,” he told Today. 

He revealed to The Washington Post that when he was still young, he wanted to drive buses, a stark contrast to his classmates who wanted to be a doctor, a fireman, or a nurse. Now, Cruse is a father of five and has been driving school buses for more than three decades. Growing up with encyclopedias and atlases, Cruse believed that reading helped guide him into what he does now for a living. 

Reflecting on the impact he has done on kids, Cruse had this to say:

“It just felt right, and it’s a joy to see the kids get excited when they learn to sound out words. They feel a sense of pride. I love how reading opens up a new world for them. I feel lucky to see that firsthand.”

To give back to Cruse, Today host Jenna Bush Hager planned an unannounced ceremony for Cruse in a special heartwarming surprise after school. Cruse was held back by tears when he saw his students outside the building, lining up and thanking him for his volunteerism.

Teary-eyed, he accepted a frame that said “Mr. Herman’s Kids Corner,” dedicating a space for him in a school to conduct his reading lessons. The host also announced that a publishing company has pledged to donate a thousand books for the school, Cruse, and his kids to enjoy.

Do you like reading? What can you say about Herman Cruse’s act of kindness? Do you think more people should encourage kids to read? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones to spread Cruse’s kindness!