Meet Teresa Young! Teresa has been a bus driver in Hall County for 24 years. She is married to Harvey and the couple has two children; Harvey Jr. and Ashley.
“I have worked closely with Mrs. Teresa for eight years and she is one of the hardest working people I know. She is always running double routes for multiple schools, she does most of our school field trips and block party that we have every year. She is always making sure our kids are safely picked up in the mornings and safely taken home in the afternoons: We are very lucky to have her,” said Tristan Rettiger, paraprofessional at Chicopee Woods Elementary.
In 2020, Mrs. Teresa was awarded the Philip Wright Award from Hall County Schools.
“The purpose of the award is to acknowledge individuals who make a positive impact on students with unique learning styles.
“Teresa received her degree in elementary education in 2009, but instead of becoming a classroom teacher, she decided to continue to serve the boys and girls in Hall Co by driving the school bus,” a Hall County Schools Facebook post explained on March 7, 2020.
For Mrs. Teresa, driving a school bus is a calling.
“I’m so passionate about taking care of my kids. Nobody can take care of my kids like me. I love what I do and I love serving teachers,” she said.
Kaye Oesterle, music teacher at Chicopee Woods Elementary, added, “Mrs. Teresa is so dedicated to our students! She is always willing to help no matter what is needed. I know our students are loved by her.”
We want to thank Teresa for spending time with us recently and telling us more about her life and love of Hall County. She is truly one of the shining stars of our community!
Question: Can you tell me about where you grew up and where you went to school?
Answer: “I went to elementary school in Oakwood. I forgot what year in the 70s, but our house burned down, so we ended up moving to Gainesville. I went to Fair Street School. I was actually my mother’s first child by my father because she had been married before. Then I had three younger siblings, but I had three older siblings so it was a total of eight of us…I went to Gainesville High School, graduated from there. I started at Gainesville State College in the 80s…My sister, we call her Kitty, played basketball for Gainesville High, she was going to college, and I figured I needed to not go to college because she went to Berry College on a scholarship. She was the very first one to graduate from college. I went to college and got my first degree in business administration. Then I went back and pursued education, and graduated with my early childhood education degree.”
Q: What’s your favorite part about Hall County?
A: “I have to be honest and say that the people…I just love Hall County as a whole. I love living here…I can honestly say Gainesville has always been good to me. And I’m going to tell you, the people here are friendly, the people are as nice to you as you are to them.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County?
A: “I would say Atlas Pizza.”
Q: What is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
A: “’Grease’ was probably the first movie I ever saw.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I want to go to Dubai. I want to go there so badly. It is a beautiful place. That is probably on my bucket list for when I retire.”
Q: What would you want people to know about being a bus driver?
A: “It is very rewarding. I drive a lot, but for me, I don’t see it as just driving, if that makes sense. I went to Atlanta three times the week before last, last week, two times this week, and I’m going two times next week, I’ll be off a week, and then I’m going three days and my two best friends said, ‘You make driving look so easy, and you are so passionate about driving.’
“I love it. I love taking care of my kids, and I’m so funny about my kids. If I’m sick, I’m not going to call in sick…I’m just going to get up, get myself presentable, drive, go get my kids because nobody is going to pick them up on time like me. What I know is nobody can do my job like me; so I’m going to go in the morning to get my kids because it’s dark, it might be raining, it might be cold and their parents know what time Teresa is coming.
“I just love kids, and I think I have a good relationship with their parents, and they could set their clock by me every morning.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
A: “Retired, traveling with husband and playing with some grandbabies.”
Q: If you had a full-time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?
A: “I probably would need a workout coach; however, I would like to have a chef. Because to me, that would be nice if I don’t have to go home and cook. I cook almost every day. My husband and I, we love to eat, and when he’s working, we’ve got to have a meal.”
Q: What are some of your favorite things to cook?
A: “I love steamed cabbage. I love spinach. I love greens. Period. My mother was a very good Southern cook, and I learned that from her.”
