The students of Pittston Area kindergarten teacher, Inez Kugler, shown center, leads her class up to the J.B. Hunt truck to see inside the cab. Pittston Area Superintendent Kevin Booth, back left, and Dr. John Haas, school wide principal, look on.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
John Snuggs, step grandfather and J.B. Hunt driver who nominated his grandson Robert DeMello’s class, shows the cabin to kindergarten student Keyren Marrero.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Mrs. Inez Kugler’s kindergarten class is the recipient of $1,000 courtesy of the trucking company J.B. Hunt under their Adopt-a-Class program. Front row, left to right: Natasha Santos, Julien Martinez, Parker Entrekin, Christopher Medel, Jaxson Folweiler, Moses Mugisha, Dason Lawrence, Robert DeMello (holding sign), Victoria Paulino, Emma Diaz, Nataly Martinez, Juanpablo Morales, Keyren Marrero, Milo Tula Back row: Mr. Art Savokinas, principal, Britany Bender, .J.B. Hunt, Mrs. Inez Kugler, kindergarten teacher, John Snuggs, J.B. Hunt driver and nominating step grandfather to Robert DeMello, Cindy Davison, DeMello’s grandmother.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Robert DeMello is shown sipping his juice while taking a break from class. DeMello’s step grandfather John Snuggs, a J.B. Hunt truck driver, nominated DeMello class for the award. Snuggs, along with DeMello’s grandmother, Cindy Davision, were on hand for the presentation.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
HUGHESTOWN — Each year, J.B. Hunt Transportation Service trucking firm conducts an Adopt-a-Class program where thousands of company drivers nominate their child’s or grandchild’s elementary classroom for donations of school supplies. Pittston Elementary School teacher, Inez Kugler’s kindergarten class was selected to receive a $1,000 gift card from the program.
Adopt-a-Class, in its 10th year, is an annual program to thank teachers who go above and beyond. Nominations for the financial award were conducted in October of 2021, with the 10 winning classrooms being announced.
“After a class has been chosen, the teacher gets to decide what kind of products they want or supplies they need and we provide for them,” Brittany Anderson, J.B. Hunt account manager, said. “We then come in, let the kids check out the truck and we get to talk a little bit about the trucking industry, it’s pretty cool.”
John Snuggs, a J.B. Hunt truck driver, nominated his step-grandson Robert DeMello’s kindergarten class at Pittston Area’s Martin F. Quinn Primary Center, Hughestown.
“We had to make a statement on why we nominated our children or grandchildren,” Snuggs said. “My statement was in lieu of the pandemic, we should pick a kindergarten class to reinforce the idea of being happy to be back in school.”
Mrs. Kugler was surprised when she received a text on Dec. 18, 2021, from her school principal Art Savokinas that her class was the recipient of the J.B. Hunt award.
“I received a text on a Saturday morning on the day of my daughter’s wedding from Mr. Savokinas (Primary Center principal) and he never calls or texts me on the weekend and he knew it was my daughter’s wedding day but he wanted to tell me the good news,” Kugler said. “We have a couple of ideas we can do with the money but I’ll talk it over with Mr. Savokinas.”
A presentation of the gift card was conducted on Thursday, March 3, at the Primary Center including officials from J.B. Hunt and Pittston Area School District.
The 20 students of Mrs. Kugler’s had a chance to see a truck rig up close when Snuggs brought a company truck along.
Snuggs was on hand for the presentation along with DeMello’s grandmother, Cindy Davison. DeMello’s parents are Robert DeMello and Rebecca Austin.
