Gulf County school bus with 11 elementary students aboard crashes near Capitol; no injuries
A Gulf County school bus with 11 students and a teacher aboard collided with a van near the Capitol Wednesday morning.
No one was injured in the crash that occurred at West Madison and South Duval streets around 10:55 a.m., according to the Tallahassee Police Department.
Gulf District Superintendent Jim Norton told the Tallahassee Democrat elementary students from Wewahitchka Elementary School were on their way to the Challenger Learning Center IMAX theater, 200 S. Duval St., as part of the 21st century enrichment program that runs during the summer.
The enrichment program provide opportunities during non-school hours for academic enrichment, including tutoring services, drug and violence prevention programs and educational field trips, according to the Florida Department of Education website.
After the crash, the kids were escorted on foot to the Pepper Building, 111 W. Madison St., where they were fed and introduced to some state senators and representatives while waiting for a return bus, Norton said.
Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, gave the young students a civics lesson.
"Every resource (including the) Leon County School District, Florida Department of Education, our state representatives, our state senators and the Superintendents Association helped," Norton said. "They entertainment those kids for the two and a half hours it took us to get a bus there.
"I also cannot give enough kudos to Tallahassee first responders for overseeing everything to make sure they were taken care of," he continued. "They made the most out of a bad situation and we're happy they'll be back in about 30 minutes."
CORRECTION: While preliminary information provided to the Democrat said there were 13 students on board, the superintendent later clarified there were 11 students and two adults on the bus.
Contact Christopher Cann at ccann@tallahassee.com and follow @ChrisCannFL on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: School bus with 11 students crashes near Capitol, no injuries
