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TURNER — Dennis Smith, of Leeds, graduated from Leavitt Area High School and has lived on the same piece of property his entire life. His mother enjoyed a decades-long career as a dedicated bus driver for Maine School Administrative District 52.
Smith has had a commercial drivers license since 1975 and had a career driving trucks hauling gravel, while working on miscellaneous construction jobs. He eventually owned his own business, Smitty & Sons Builders.
But life came full circle when Smith decided to retire from construction and take and, like his mother before him, become an MSAD 52 bus driver.
“I had been thinking about becoming a bus driver for the district for about five years and figured that I grew up here, went to school here and thought it would be nice to work here too,” Smith said. “Getting a little older, I realized my body wasn’t going to keep up with construction work anymore.”
Smith knew he would need someone to help him study and prepare him to take the test.”MSAD 52 Adult Education stepped in to help me through the entire process,” Smith said. “It was a very good experience. The teachers were very helpful, and even introduced me to the transportation department.”
Smith passed the permit exam in July and is training for the driving test.
“We are hoping to see Dennis this fall when he will start his new career as a bus driver,” MSAD 52 officials said.
Smith is one of many who is taking the next step with MSAD 52 Adult Education, which can help prepare people for a new career, or guide someone to a high school diploma or HiSET (formerly GED), or even put them on a path to college.
