HOUSTON — New bus riders at Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) had help in getting acclimated during the first few days of the school year last week through the district’s “Bus Buddies” program.

As previously reported, the program is designed to help young bus riders find their stops during the first week of school. The program was developed in 2005 by the district’s Partners in Education director, Pam Scott.

Now, CFISD reports that the seventh annual program generated a total of 351 community volunteers who rode CFISD school buses from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. for the first three days of school, Aug. 26 to 28, to ensure students were safely transported to their proper drop-off points.

“Pam Scott has done an incredible job in creating this program, and it has been great for us,” CFISD Director of Transportation Bill Powell told SBF.

A total of 53 businesses and organizations participated in the program, serving the district’s elementary school campuses.

The Bus Buddies program is a partnership between CFISD’s Volunteers in Public Schools and the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce.

“While the Bus Buddies program is a personal passion of mine, the chamber is committed to making this bigger and bigger every year,” said Leslie Martone, Cy-Fair chamber president, who served as a Bus Buddy at Andre’ Elementary School. “We are always proud to partner with the district for Bus Buddies. I think it’s a great way for businesses to give back to the schools, and our businesses proved with their participation this year that they are committed to Cy-Fair education.”