SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Bus driver pens book about caring for homeless kitten

The transportation staff at a Washington school district finds the kitten under a dumpster and raises her in the facility’s office. Driver Katie Youngren chronicles the experience in the children's book Itty Bitty School Bus Kitty; she tells SBF she hopes to write a series of books about the kitten.

February 1, 2011
2 min to read


[IMAGE]310[/IMAGE]

ROCKFORD, Wash. — The transportation department staff at Freeman School District #358 had an unexpected visitor at their bus yard in early October — a three-week-old kitten.

Freeman school bus driver Katie Youngren wrote about the team’s experience finding and caring for the kitten, which they named Eve, in a children’s book titled Itty Bitty School Bus Kitty, and Eve has since become something of a sensation in Rockford.

Youngren told SBF in an interview last month that on Oct. 1, one of the department’s other school bus drivers heard meowing coming from under a dumpster as she was walking into the facility. Operations Manager Everett Combs fished the kitten out.

“It just so happened that two of my cats had vet appointments that morning, so I took her to the vet and she said that she was in really good shape,” Youngren said. “I brought her back to the transportation facility, and Charlotte [Trejbal, the transportation supervisor] would kitty-sit. Everyone took turns taking her home, and we’d bring her back to the office during the day. We bottle-fed her, and I would take her home over the weekend.”

Youngren said that as Eve became more mobile and curious, the staff decided that she needed a permanent home, so she now lives with Youngren’s family.

It was at a friend’s urging that Youngren wrote Itty Bitty School Bus Kitty, which she dedicated to the students of Freeman School District #358. (The book comprises a poem and numerous photographs of Eve.) 

After getting the book laid out and bound, Youngren started a publishing company, Freeman Press, to distribute it, and she created a website for it, where copies can be purchased.

Ad Loading...

[IMAGE]311[/IMAGE]

Since the book was published on Dec. 17, Youngren said things have taken off. She and Eve did interviews at two local TV stations in Spokane, Wash., and for a local newspaper, and Youngren has several book signings scheduled at stores in Spokane, as well as an interview scheduled with a radio station in Spokane. 

“We’re also planning to take her to the Rockford Fair, and I’m thinking of turning this into a series,” Youngren said. “I wrote another poem called ‘Itty Bitty School Bus Kitty Makes New Friends,’ and it has to do with Eve meeting my other pets. I’d like to have that published by June. Then I want to do a book about Eve visiting an animal shelter. I want to make it an educational tool about how important it is to adopt kittens because there are so many that don’t have homes.”

Topics:Management

More Management

Thumbnail graphic for a School Bus Fleet video compilation. A yellow electric school bus serves as the background, with speech bubbles containing words such as “Dynamic,” “Green,” “Critical,” “Complex,” “Family,” and “Underfunded.” A red banner reads, “12 Suppliers. 1 Question. Many Answers.” The video explores how industry suppliers describe the current state of the school bus market.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 5, 2026

13 Industry Leaders Describe School Transportation in One Word

What word best describes the school bus industry today? We posed that question to over a dozen manufacturers, resulting in a revealing mix of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Read More →
Leadership update graphic announcing executive appointments at Tyler Technologies. Headshots of Ryan O’Connor, named chief transactions officer, and Franklin Williams, named chief AI officer, appear alongside the Tyler Technologies logo and School Bus Fleet branding.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 5, 2026

Tyler Technologies Adds New AI, Transactions Leadership Roles

Two company executives are promoted to newly created C-suite positions to accelerate the company's long-term growth in both artificial intelligence and payments.

Read More →
An orange and white graphic with Pro-Vision and Convoy Technologies logos, and text reading "Pro-Vision Acquires Convoy Technologies."
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 4, 2026

Pro-Vision Acquires Convoy Technologies

The deal aims to broaden customer relationships and adds specialized vehicle video capabilities for commercial fleets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A Durham School Services bus with two people posing in front of it.

Durham School Services Maintenance Teams Earn Missouri Fleet Excellence Awards

Eight of the contractor’s school bus fleets achieved a distinction few maintenance teams earn during the state’s rigorous annual inspection program.

Read More →
Joe Annotti of TRC Companies speaks at ACT Expo. A text overlay reads, “School Buses as Money Makers?” highlighting discussion about electrification, vehicle-to-grid technology, and new revenue opportunities for school bus fleets.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 3, 2026

How Incentives, AI, and Energy Markets Are Reshaping School Transportation

Sit down with Joe Annotti of TRC Companies to talk district grant funding, utility challenges, AI, and why school buses are evolving from transportation assets into energy assets.

Read More →
A lineup of Beacon Mobility school buses with text reading "Behind the Contracting Shift."
Managementby Elora HaynesJune 3, 2026

Inside the Contracting Shift: What School Transportation Operators Are Seeing Now

School transportation contractors weigh in on recent trends, costs, driver shortages, and the rise of multimodal student transportation.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Jeff Weiss of ExoAir Systems stands beside a roof-mounted electric air conditioning unit at ACT Expo. Text overlay reads “ExoAir: Cool Bus. No Idling.”
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 2, 2026

The No-Idling School Bus AC System

Take a peek at ExoAir Systems’ battery-powered cooling solution designed to run for up to 10 hours without the engine on, reducing fuel use and improving comfort for drivers and students.

Read More →
Charlotte Argue of Geotab speaks at ACT Expo, gesturing toward a display of telematics and camera technology. Text overlay reads “Geotab: Data Drives Safety.”
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 2, 2026

Geotab on Three Major Trends in School Transportation

School bus fleets are becoming more proactive than ever. From AI driver alerts to vehicle-to-grid opportunities, Geotab outlines the biggest technology trends transforming school bus operations.

Read More →
Graphic announcing Gatekeeper contract news featuring a yellow school bus driving along a waterfront roadway, with “New Contract Announcements” text and Gatekeeper branding displayed prominently.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 1, 2026

Gatekeeper Lands Major School Bus Deals as Revenue Surges

The video solutions provider announces contracts with Atlanta Public Schools and other fleet operators as it records quarterly revenue growth and expanding subscription business.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic promoting “Building a Mentorship Program” with two women shaking hands across a desk, highlighting tips and common mentorship mistakes in school transportation.
ManagementJune 1, 2026

Building Leaders Who Last: Creating a Successful Mentorship Program in Student Transportation

Discover five strategies for building an effective mentorship program to strengthen leadership development and support staff retention.

Read More →