It started as a bus that did its job and did it well, but thanks to the Community Schools Model, a generous community, and some industrious and artistic high school students, it has a new purpose.
What became known as the Art Bus at least for now until students decide what its new name will be, was a project that involved many people with many talents and is a testament to the spirit of the GFW Community. High school CTE students William Bastian, Ryan Hoffmann, Justin Hoffmann, Owen Schultz, and Hunter Case, along with Mr. Sellner took out the seats and used their construction skills to build shelving units to fill the now empty space.
With a $10,000 grant and some willing partners including Sharon Fossum and Spirit of the Season and other generous donations from the community, Director of Student and Community Programs Tonia Schiro says it is ready for action.
“The bus is absolutely jam-packed from donations and we want to take away barriers for our community by bringing these resources directly to them,” said Schiro. “We know that there are people in our district who are struggling and this is one way for the district to go beyond the school day and really provide a service.”
The bus is stocked with clothes, shoes, household items, and a variety of other essentials. With winter rolling in, fresh donations of snow pants, coats, boots, hats, and gloves are also available. There is a reading area on board so little ones can have some fun while parents grab what they need. The team is still working on the full rollout plan to get it out to all corners of the district.
If you are looking for the bus, don’t just look for a regular looking school bus, because it is currently painted green and this spring when the warmer weather comes back, the GFW Art Club is going to help it stand out even more with a painted mural of a rural Minnesota scene. Getting students involved was a great way to bring a collaborative approach to this project.
“The kids are so talented and having something like this that showcases so many different student talents that also helps people is really wonderful,” said Schiro. “I am really excited to have it become a fixture of the community.”
Initial plans are to visit the bus hubs in each town served by the district and be available for several hours one or two times each month, but the hope is to reach deeper into the 300 square miles that make up the GFW community.
To keep the bus well-stocked, we are always in need of donations - both new or gently used items or monetary. Donations can be dropped off at GFW Elementary School with Schiro. Additional updates about the bus will be shared on social media and in other communications.
