Croton-Harmon Schools Introduce the County’s First Electric School Bus Secured with Help of State Funding
Croton-on-Hudson, NY, October 25, 2022 - The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District today put an electric school bus on the road and is proud to celebrate that it is the first school district in Westchester County to receive funding from New York State Energy and Research Development Agency (NYSERDA) for an electric bus. Given the name “EVie”, the 66-passenger bus manufactured by Bird Bus took center stage at a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by several school district administrators, corporate and community partners and government officials. Members of the Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School chorus also helped celebrate with a performance of the “electric slide” and a special rendition of The Who’s “We Won’t Be Fueled Again.”
Croton-Harmon voters approved the purchase of the electric school bus in May of 2021 and the district has been working in close partnership with Bird Bus and NYSERDA to secure grant funding.
“All of us who are part of the lives of children are inherently forward-thinking, as we know that the time that we spend with them today and the decisions that we make today will have a significant impact on them, and through them, our society in the future,” said CHUFSD Superintendent Stpehen Walker. “Today we bear witness to one of these forward-thinking decisions, as we celebrate the inaugural ride of this first electric school bus.”
NY State Senator Peter Harckham also congratulated the district for being the first district in Westchester County to purchase and put into circulation an electric school bus. “This is important for so many reasons. The future is here now, and we must combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions,” he said. “This is a win-win on so many levels and I applaud you for going first. This is a great day all around.”
Speakers at today’s event (in order) were: Croton-Harmon Assistant Superintendent for Business Denise Harrington-Cohen; Croton-Harmon Superintendent Stephen Walker; Vincent Rescica, NYSERDA; Robert Reichenbach, Bird Bus; NY State Senator Peter Harckham; and Croton-Harmon Schools BoE President Sarah Carrier. Croton-Harmon High School President of the Student Faculty Congress Nicholas Godek cut the green ribbon to officially welcome Evie to the Croton-Harmon fleet.
