Fulton Public Schools' 2017 Support Staff of the Year is the man responsible for getting almost every kid in the system safely to school and back home again.
"I wish (the recognition) was for everyone who worked here," said Transportation Director Bryan Abbott, the award's recipient. "I'm just a piece. I don't know where the schools would be without us."
Abbott has been the school system's transportation director for six years, though he initially moved to Fulton in 1990 for a job at Gerbes Grocery.
"There was an ad in the paper for a transportation director and I applied, and for some reason Dr. Cowherd hired me," Abbott said.
As transportation director, Abbott supervises the rest of the transportation staff, balances budgets and does much more. He also knows every bus in the fleet - he suggested taking the picture of him next to bus 30, since it's the newest and prettiest one.
"We actually handle more students every day than any individual building does," Abbott said. "We deal with 1,200 kids, six buildings, six sets of principals. We have to adapt."
Abbott learned about adaptation and flexibility early on in the job, he said.
"My first year here, it was senior trip day," Abbott recalled.
The senior class was headed to Worlds of Fun, but someone had miscounted the number of kids going. Abbott was an entire bus off and had to find another available driver on short notice.
"It was a scramble to get a driver and get everyone accommodated," Abbott said. "It took a driver to volunteer. There's a team effort in everything we do that makes the job rewarding."
Abbott and his wife, Diane, have three children, all of whom either have graduated from or will soon graduate from Fulton Public Schools. He also has one grandson. In his spare time, Abbott raises cattle and works around the house.