Local classroom on wheels expands its programming

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A local classroom on wheels has expanded its outreach.

The Big Bus is a Westerville non-profit that started out by tutoring Kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Earlier this year, the Central Ohio Transit Authority donated a retired coach bus to the organization, who spent all summer renovating it.

“It really just started with one neighborhood," Kelly Gurich, executive director of The Big Bus, said. "We were starting with originally 15-20 kids at the most. That expanded wildly."

The Big Bus launched in 2022 after organizers visited Abbey Lane Apartments.

“There was a mom that came forward and, in broken English, she said she really needed help with homework for her child, and that’s where the Big Bus was born,” said Gurich.

The bus is stationed at the apartment complex and at Newcastle Townhomes once a week, both places with large immigrant populations. Now these tutoring services will reach older students, as the new bus will serve Westerville middle and high schools.

“Then we’re going to shift into those neighborhoods once we identify specifically what those needs are,” said Gurich.

Teachers, retired teachers and community volunteers are the ones helping the students. 

“We always focus on homework first. So a lot of the students do have homework, especially our elementary students,” Gurich said. “When they finish their homework for the day, that’s when we shift and focus on literacy skills.”

She said there are hopes to expand outside of Westerville one day.

“The vision is that most schools, if not all schools, need this extra help. So this mobile tutoring classroom is something we see expanding to other districts as well,” Gurich said.

The Big Bus is starting out with tours at all three Westerville high schools and five district middle schools. Programming will begin in 2025, and people can learn more about the mission here.