December 28, 2018

School bus driver saves his money to buy a Christmas gift for every kid on his route

Courtesy Lake Highlands Elementary
Curtis Jenkins, a bus driver for Lake Highlands Elementary school in Dallas, is pictured in a photo shared on the school's Facebook page on Dec. 22, 2018.

A school bus driver in Dallas, Texas became a sort of Santa this year.

Curtis Jenkins, a driver for Lake Highlands Elementary School, asked each kid on his bus route what they would like for Christmas. And then, with his own money and the help of a few community members who found out what he was doing, he bought it for every one of them.

The total was 70 gifts. The students found out about the gifts when they were picked up at school on Dec. 21.

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The school posted photos of the gifts and Curtis to its Facebook page where it's been shared almost 9,000 times.

Courtesy Lake Highlands Elementary
Gifts are arranged on a school bus in a photo shared by Lake Highlands Elementary school on Dec. 22, 2018. Curtis Jenkins, a school bus driver, purchased a Christmas gift for every child on his route.

Jenkins told "Good Morning America," he was motivated to do this for the kids because he wanted to "magnify loving and caring."

"He asked the kids what they wanted for Christmas and kept a list," Jennifer Wilcox, the school's PTA president, said. "I believe his motivation was to bless the kids and to put smiles on their faces."

Wilcox said Jenkins' story is an example of the generosity that's found at the school. "We have a diverse student population and our staff and parents work hard to create a kind and inclusive environment," she told "GMA."

One of the kids even asked Jenkins if he was Santa.

Courtesy Lake Highlands Elementary
Gifts are arranged on a school bus in a photo shared by Lake Highlands Elementary school on Dec. 22, 2018. Curtis Jenkins, a school bus driver, purchased a Christmas gift for every child on his route.

"Kids these days need to see positivity," Jenkins said.

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Jenkins added he hopes to do more good deeds in the future and is starting a non-profit to continue his acts of kindness. It's called Magnify, Caring and Change Foundation. Anyone who wants to connect for more information can find him on Instagram @curtisjenkins2018.

"If you show a lot of kids a lot of love they will do the same," Jenkins said.