SUNBRIGHT, Tenn. — The wheels on the bus go round and round. Then it stops. And students from Sunbright School board the colorful cafe.
Kids pick up some food then pick out a table.
Recently, the third-grade students enjoyed the former school bus that's re-purposed as Gus the Bus.
Student Emma Davis said, "It has tables. You're actually allowed to eat on it. And the sky, the roof looks like a sky and it's really cute."
Peggy Hamby is the Morgan County Schools Food and Nutrition Director.
She came up with the idea of a transformed bus for the county's Summer Feeding program to give kids somewhere to sit while they ate. Now, they use the bus all year.
"We buy local produce, we buy local beef as much as we can. We want to support our Dairy Alliance. And so Gus the Bus just fit Morgan County.
Emma likes parfaits and pizza.
"It's really good. It's kind of better than the school's to be fair."
Peggy Hamby said, "It's not just to come and eat. We want it to be like a diner or a cafe. And it's funny because we heard some students a couple of minutes ago say oh this food is awesome but it's the same food we fix every day."
School cafeteria food just tastes better on Gus the Bus.
Student Austin Henry said, "It's really fun. I enjoy it." :52
Of course, it's a lot of fun but there's also an educational component. It's a chance for the kids to learn about nutrition.
Cindy Cooper with the Dairy Council led a cheer to promote healthy eating.
"Whose going to promise to read every day? Who's going to promise to exercise every day? All right! And on the count of three, I want you to yell at the top of your lungs I love milk. 1,2,3. I love milk!"
The group helps fund the program along with Morgan County Schools, grants, and many local community partnerships.
Gus the Bus also promotes literacy. During the school year, kids can read a book on the bus. And in the summer, when Gus the Bus is part of the Summer Feeding Program...
"You get to pick which book you want and every time you eat with us you get to get to take another book," Peggy Hamby said.
It's a book to keep as they feed their tummies and feed their minds on Gus the Bus.