LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Emojune Desander has driven a St. Johns Public School bus for decades. Desander doesn’t consider driving the school bus a job, it’s something she truly looks forward to everyday.
As the wheels on the bus go around and around, Emojune Desander calls this her second home. China Screen Mesh and Screen
Emojune Desander explains “I think it’s easier to drive a bus than a car.”
Desander has been driving a school bus for St Johns Public Schools for 50 years and treats her students as if they were her own family. She says “now that I’ve got older sometimes they call me grandma.”
Damian Addai, a St. Johns High School student has been riding Emojune’s bus for quite some time. But he isn’t the first member of his family to have her as a driver. He explains “she drove my mom’s bus and my aunt’s bus so she’s been doing it for a long time.”
Desander is more than a bus driver, she’s someone that students look up to. She says “they know I’m there if there’s anything that’s going on that they may need help with.”
She helps students by showering them with positivity. She explains, “I always say good morning and smile to them because I might be the first smile they see of the day.”
But her time as a driver may be coming to an end soon. “I hate to give up my job because I really love the kids and the people I work with so it’s a tough decision,” she says.
Not only will it be tough on Desander but her students are going to miss seeing her every day. Addai explains “I mean her smile. It makes me happy in the morning. It makes me want to go to school.”
For now, Desander is still hitting the roads waiting for students to hop on board.
If you want to be the next Emojune, St Johns Public Schools Transportation Center is always looking for new drivers.
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