Walking Bus, a new Madison House program, arose when a detrimental shortage of bus drivers led Charlottesville City Schools to expand their walking zones. Because of this, all students within a 3/4 mile radius of Clark Elementary School must walk to school or be dropped off.

In response to this predicament, the school system mobilized a volunteer corps of teachers and administrators to walk elementary students to and from school. However, this put additional strain on the already demanding workload of school teachers. Then, a faculty member reached out to Dr. Rose Cole at Madison House to let her know there was a need for volunteer help. Dr. Cole quickly set plans in motion to join the Walking Bus initiative.

In light of this, Madison House volunteers began walking children to school on what can be a long and dark route. The Walking Bus program not only provides assistance to the elementary school students, but also, as one volunteer states, “It’s good to get into the community and outside the UVA bubble and routines.”

Other UVA students feel the same way, as participating puts them in a good mood for the rest of the day.

The Walking Bus program has expanded under the leadership of Dr. Cole and Madison House Graduate Fellow Hannah Rollins. Each week has seen the addition of new volunteers to not only ensure the safety of the elementary students walking to school, but also to build relationships and have a positive impact on the kids’ school day. 

In fact, Walking Bus began with only four volunteers going to Clark Elementary School on Thursday mornings but now has a pool of more than 20 volunteers and two student program directors who serve on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. As the program develops and recruits more volunteers, the program will expand to include more schools and days of the week. The implementation of this program shows promise and poise from Madison House student leaders who adapted and mobilized quickly to respond to an urgent community need.

What makes Walking Bus truly special is that what began as a response to a direct need has turned into something greater. Not only do the children have someone present to ensure their well-being as they walk to school in the morning, they connect with a friend and mentor, which sets a bright tone for the day.

Interested in supporting our student volunteers who participate in the Walking Bus? You can make your impact by giving now!

Author: Lily Bernstein