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KUGAARUK/PELLY BAY
Bundled up waiting by the curbside, many children in Kugaaruk eagerly await the arrival of the yellow school bus to take them to school in the morning and back home again in the afternoon.

Colin Krejunark stands in front of the new school bus he drives in Kugaaruk. The 33-year-old driver picks up Kindergarten to Grade 3 students from Kugaaruk School in the morning and drops them off at home for lunch. In the afternoon, he repeats his 15-minute run with Grades 1 to 4 students heading back to school after lunch and heading home at the end of the day. Kindergarten ends at noon. - photo courtesy of Michael Bartley

It was a ritual Colin Krejunark did not go through as a child, as the community did not have a school bus then, but today he is the chaperon for the community's young students.

The 33-year-old starts his 15-minute run at 8 a.m. after warming up the bus for half an hour. The Kindergarten to Grade 3 students he picks up are dropped off in time for school, at 9 a.m. The ritual is repeated at noon and 1 p.m. when the children go home and back for lunch and at 3:30 p.m. when they head home for the day. In the afternoon, he picks up Grade 1 to 4 students as Kindergarten ends at noon.

Krejunark said he decided to work as a school bus driver because he likes working with kids.

"I enjoy driving the bus for the kids and I'm happy with that. I like kids. I like the new bus," he said.

His job got a little more exciting this school year as Kugaaruk School received a new, 54-passenger school bus. Krejunark said he already drove it a couple of times around the community and students rode in it for the first time on Oct. 18.

"I am very excited. I have seen the school bus a couple of days ago and I am excited to drive it," he said.

Born and raised in Kugaaruk, Krejunark also drives the water and sewage truck on weekends.

Michael Bartley is the principal at Kugaaruk School, and sees the dedication Kerjunark puts into his job.

"Colin is a very energetic, dependable person. He is always smiling and helping students," he stated via e-mail. "It sure makes a great start to the students' day when they get on a clean, new bus with a great person like him making them feel warm and welcome."

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