>>> THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SAW ANOTHER JUMP OF CONFIRMED
CORONAVIRUS CASES TODAY.
THERE ARE NOW OVER 3,000
CONFIRMED CASES IN THAT STATE,
AT LEAST 72 CONFIRMED DEAD.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
ARE GOING TO REMAIN CLOSED
THROUGH AT LEAST THIS MONTH.
THESE DAYS THE BUSES THAT WOULD
NORMALLY TRANSPORT STUDENTS ARE
INSTEAD DELIVERING FREE SCHOOL
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DAILY TO
THEM.
THEM. IN AT LEAST ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT,
ALONG FOR THE RIDE IS THE
PRINCIPAL OF NEW PROSPECT
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAUSE IT’S
THE ONLY WAY, THE WAY HE THINKS
OF IT, THESE KIDS ARE EVER GOING
TO SEE THEIR PRINCIPAL THESE
DAYS.
DAYS. HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT IS,
FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THIS
BROADCAST, BRIAN WILLIAMS,
PRINCIPAL OF NEW PROSPECT
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN ANDERSON,
SOUTH CAROLINA.
SOUTH CAROLINA. MR. WILLIAMS, WITH APOLOGIES FOR
ANY ADULT LIFE OF RIBBING THAT
OUR SHARED NAME HAS BROUGHT INTO
YOUR LIFE, TELL US HOW YOU GOT
THIS IDEA.
THIS IDEA. >> THIS IDEA OF RIDING THE BUS
CAME FROM ONE DAY I WAS SITTING
IN MY OFFICE.
IT WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT WE
WERE ACTUALLY OUT OF SCHOOL
DURING THE CLOSURE.
SO I WAS LOOKING AT MY COMPUTER,
AND I WAS LOOKING AT 50 EMAILS.
MY CAFETERIA MANAGER CAME DOWN,
FOOD SERVICE MANAGER CAME DOWN,
AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE
ABOUT TO LEAVE TO GO DELIVER THE
LUNCHES.
LUNCHES. SO I HAD A CHOICE TO EITHER GO
LOOK AT MY EMAILS AND ANSWER
THOSE OR GET ON THE BUS.
SO I HAPPILY GOT ON THE BUS THAT
DAY.
DAY. >> YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL THE
STORY OF LYNDON JOHNSON.
WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MAN, HE
STARTED OUT AS A SCHOOLTEACHER
IN CA TU LA, TEXAS, ON THE
MEXICAN BORDER.
MEXICAN BORDER. HE WAS STUNNED TO SEE POOR
AMERICAN KIDS COME TO SCHOOL IN
THE MORNING WITH DISTENDED
STOMACHS FROM HUNGER, AND HE
VOWED IF HE WAS EVER IN A
POSITION TO DO IT, TO PROVIDE
FREE AND REDUCED-RATE MEALS AT
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. TELL US THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL
MEALS FOR SOME OF THE STUDENTS
YOU CARE FOR.
>> YES.
>> YES. OUR SUPERINTENDENT, MR. WILSON,
AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM HAD A
GREAT VISION FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE KNOW WE WANT THEM TO COMPLETE
THEIR E LEARNING LESSONS, BUT WE
ALSO UNDERSTAND WITHOUT THEIR
BASIC NEEDS BEING MET, IT WILL
BE VERY HARD FOR THEM TO DO
THAT.
THAT. SO PROVIDING THEM WITH THE
BREAKFAST AND THE LUNCH EACH DAY
IS A LITTLE SENSE OF NORMALCY
FOR THEM.
FOR THEM. SO WE KNOW IT’S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE MEALS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR BUSES RUN
THE ROUTE EVERY DAY, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE FOUR PICKUP LOCATIONS FOR
STUDENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE A BUS
ROUTE CAN ACTUALLY COME TO A
PICKUP LOCATION AND RECEIVE A
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.
ACTUALLY LAST FRIDAY ON THE LAST
DAY BEFORE SPRING BREAK, OUR BUS
DRIVERS AND CUSTODIAL WORKERS
AND OUR FOOD SERVICE AND COACHES
AND EVERYONE, IT WAS ALL HANDS
ON DECK, ACTUALLY DELIVERED
70,000 MEALS BECAUSE OUR
DISTRICT WANTED TO GIVE OUR
STUDENTS MEALS FOR THE WHOLE
SPRING BREAK.
SPRING BREAK. SO LAST FRIDAY WE ACTUALLY
DELIVERED 70,000 MEALS ON BUSES.
>> WELL, I KNOW IT MEANS THE
WORLD TO THOSE STUDENTS TO LOOK
UP AND SEE THEIR PRINCIPAL ON
THE BUS.
THE BUS. I KNOW IT MEANS THE WORLD TO
THEIR PARENTS, ESPECIALLY IN
THIS HOLY WEEKEND.
I JOIN ALL OF OUR VIEWERS IN
THANKING YOU FOR THIS EFFORT.
AND LET ME SAY IT IS A PRIVILEGE
TO SHARE YOUR NAME.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR
COMING ON OUR BROADCAST AND
BEING OUR GUEST.