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SEARCHCyndi Masters of Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District No. 6 receives the honor at the annual Arizona Association for Pupil Transportation Fall Conference last month. Masters, who is the fourth district driver to receive the honor in 15 years, gives her winnings to the district's transportation department for a special fund.
COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — A Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District No. 6 bus driver won Special Needs Driver of the Year at the annual Arizona Association for Pupil Transportation Fall Conference on Oct. 8.
Cyndi Masters, who has been a driver with the district since February 2001, said she wasn't expecting to receive the award, the Verde Independent reports. She received a plaque and a $100 check; she turned the check back over to the district's transportation department for a special fund.
In the nomination letter for Masters, the department stated that, "As a special-needs driver, Cyndi has shown that she has a deep compassion and understanding for the students she transports."
Masters is the fourth Cottonwood-Oak Creek driver to win Special Needs Driver of the Year in the past 15 years, according to Debbie Wheaton, director of transportation for the district. The district has also had another 12 winners in other categories in that time period.
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