Students honored for role during crisis

Quick reactions by Gatesville High School seniors aboard a school bus during a crisis helped calm younger students and assisted the bus driver.

During the Gatesville Independent School District Board of Trustees Student Spotlight on Oct. 17, Cameron Baker and Lucas Ayers were recognized for their role in helping to make a difficult situation easier for everyone involved.

Information given to board members noted that in late September, a GISD student experienced a medical emergency on a school bus during the afternoon bus route.

"Naturally, this caused some panic from the other students on the bus," said Superintendent Barrett Pollard. "It's also a frightening thing for the bus driver because you're the only adult on the bus.

Pollard said the actions taken by Ayers and Baker “greatly assisted the bus driver, Rena Gibson, in helping to keep younger students calm.” They also helped to make sure that the student experiencing the emergency had space.

"They also ensured that none of the other students recorded the event with their phones so as to give the student privacy while medics attended to her needs."

Pollard said he has visited with the students "and I can assure you that they are outstanding young men with a bright future ahead of them."