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PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota School Transportation Association (SDSTA) presented its School Bus Driver of the Year Award to Theresa Mellen during the association’s summer meeting here last month.

Mellen works for Douglas School District in Box Elder, S.D. She began her driving career in 2007 and quickly gained a reputation for not only being a safe driver, but a person who genuinely cares about the students she transports. She took a route that most considered the toughest in the district and made it a model for others to follow, according to her supervisor, Pete Haugh.

Moreover, Mellen conducts bus safety classes for three elementary schools in Douglas School District and also assists with first aid training at the work center. She is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corp., serving during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Mellen also serves the community in Box Elder, where she lives: She is a nationally certified EMT with the local volunteer fire department, and she is a foster parent. 

The SDSTA is proud to award Ms. Mellen with the honor of South Dakota School Bus Driver of the Year and sees her as a shining example of the type of people that dedicate so much of their lives to pupil transportation in South Dakota, officials said.

Nominees for the South Dakota School Bus Driver of the Year Award are selected from the SDSTA membership pool. The association comprises school bus contractors, public school transportation departments and Head Start operators from throughout South Dakota.