Special-Needs School Bus Driver Named ‘Hometown Hero’
Sharon Lackey of Kansas is given the title by a local news source. She is also presented with an award for 40 years of service.

Kansas school bus driver Sharon Lackey was named a "Hometown Hero" by a local news source. Shown here, she was also presented with an award for 40 years of service. Screenshot from KSNW video

WICHITA, Kan. — A longtime school bus driver here has been named a local news source’s “Hometown Hero.”
Sharon Lackey, who drives a special-needs school bus for First Student in Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), was given the title by KSNW for serving the district for 40 years.
Lackey initially started driving a school bus for extra money to go to garage sales, but soon realized that she really liked the students. She has now transported three generations of USD 259 students, and she told the news source “that’s where my heart is and that's what I want to keep doing.” She added that she is not ready to retire just yet.
To mark her 40th anniversary, Lackey was presented with an award for her service to USD 259 students, according to KSNW.
To read the full story, go here.
View the KSNW video and Lackey receiving the award from First Student below.
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