Cy-Fair ISD is in need of volunteers for its Bus Buddies program, which is dedicated to helping students find their bus stop during the first week of school.

Since 2005, CFISD has called upon local businesses to help 9,000 elementary students with first day anxiety on the school bus. In partnership with the Cypress community, CFISD Partners in Education director Pam Scott developed Bus Buddies to help students find their bus stops in the afternoon.

"It's to ensure that our youngest riders get off the bus at the right stops," Karen Mann, Scott's secretary said. "There's so many of these children that are 4 and 5 years old that have never ridden the bus before."

PIE's Bus Buddies program reaches to each elementary school within CFISD boundaries. To accommodate first year students, volunteers are called upon from throughout the district to assist during the afternoon bus rides. Each "bus buddy" ensures each student safely gets off at his or her home stop during the first three days of the school year.

In total, 110,000 students are enrolled in CFISD with 8 percent riding the school bus for the first time.

The program brought home the 2012-13 Crystal Award recognized by the Texas Association in Partners in Education commemorating their work with the community and students.

During its seven years of service, Bus Buddies has helped reduce student's stress during the opening week of the school year and has helped relieve parents, Mann said.

"The neighborhoods look the same. Just to help relieve the children's anxiety and the fear that they go throughthis is a way to alleviate that," she said. "To have those extra set of eyes to let the kids know when their stop is up is fantastic."

The 2013-14 school year commences Aug. 26 and volunteer training begins Aug. 19.

Training is held at the Berry Center with three sessions available: Aug. 19 from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Aug. 20 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Aug. 21 from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Attendance at one session is required. Volunteers with past experience with the program are not required to attend training.