A school bus driver returned to college to become a high school history teacher, thanks to some  1   students.

Clayton Ward is a history lover, and as such,   2   the time he'd spend chatting with students about their history classes as he   3   them to and from school.

“After several of these discussions, some of the students would tell me they wanted me to be their   4  ,”he said. “That small mention from those kids ... it  5  me and gave me the motivation to complete a goal I had started years ago.”

  6  , Ward went to college after his high school graduation£»but after a year, he had to leave and soon started driving buses. But he still valued   7  , and talking with the students on the bus route renewed his sense of passion for expanding and teaching young minds.

Ward enrolled£¨×¢²á£©at a community college in May 2019, and   8   to take his classes full time while also still driving his bus.

“It wasn't always   9   I would drive my route in the morning and afternoon, take classes in between shifts and take night classes," he said. "I would think of those students and all the years I wanted to make this happen, and it helped me focus my energy. "

“You wouldn't think that kids can do something like that, to give me the  10  and ambition to go back to school,“ Ward said. "It's kind of crazy that such a small thing can make such an impact on your life. "