Local Umpires Team up to Donate Bicycles to 30 Bussey Elementary Students

Disponible en:

Pictured are all the umpires who participated in the project, including Bussey Elementary School Principal Kathy Scott (far right) in her umpire uniform. A close-up of a few students with their bikes includes (l-r) students Robin López and Levin Carranza with Lupita Negrete (center), a fifth-grade bilingual teacher.

During the softball season, Bussey Elementary School Principal Kathleen ‘Kathy’ Scott serves as a softball umpire on weekends at Dyess Park. The tight-knit community of umpires teamed up to pay it forward by surprising several Bussey students with bicycles on December 9.

It is the second year the umpires have shared a little joy with the Bussey Elementary students. The effort is led by Mike Flores, the Umpire In Charge (UIC) of the select fastpitch softball tournaments at Dyess Park. Flores wanted to do something for kids around the holiday season. Knowing that Scott was a principal at a Title 1 school, he decided to adopt the campus. When he brought up the bike giveaway again this year, the umpires working with him all donated one bicycle each. This year, they are donating 30 bicycles for 30 students.

Scott had each of her teachers submit one student from their class who would benefit from receiving a bike. Flores then assigns umpires with students and their bike sizes.

Scott has a school bus take the students, parents, and additional staff members as chaperones to Dyess Park. According to Scott, the students know they are getting bikes. It also turns into a learning experience for some. While at the park, the students will learn about what an umpire does. She added that her students got a kick from seeing her in her umpire gear when they got to the park last year.

“It is an awesome experience for the students,” Scott said. “Mike has Santa and softball players bring the bikes to one field where each umpire meets their student and presents them with their bicycle. The kids feel like stars on the field. I am grateful to Mike, the umpires, and everyone who made a difference in our students’ lives this holiday season.”