Heidi Moore, sixth grade Learning Support Teacher at Ridley
Middle School in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania nominated her
Trucker Buddy Mark Silva to be Trucker Buddy of the Month for
June.

“This is the tenth year (2001 -2011) that Mr. Silva has been writing
to my students. Over the years, Mark has gone above and beyond
what I ever expected him to do. Mark sends the students postcards,
from all of the places that he travels. He mainly works in California,
Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon, and sends postcards to educate
the students about the places that he has traveled through. Many
of my students have never even visited the west coast! He also
writes about his family, and the students understand how important
his family is to him. He encourages the students to value their
family, friends, teachers, etc., in almost every set of post cards
that he sends,” says Ms. Moore.

Her students enjoy writing to him and telling him what is going on
in their lives, as well. More importantly, by writing to him, this puts
meaning behind their writing assignments, which can be a struggle
for many students. He sends the students gifts, such as, gift
certificates, school supplies, decorations, snacks, magnets,
pictures (family, home, animals), and shirts.

Each year Walmart schedules a load for Mr. Silva, so he can
make the long trip across the country for the past nine years,
to come and meet the students and teachers involved in the
program. The students are able to get their picture taken in the
truck, see how a professional driver lives and work, along with
seeing a different stuffed animal mascot that he brings each
time that he visits Ridley Middle School. The most important
thing is they get to meet their Trucker Buddy in person. Each
year Mr. Silva brings a family member with him, this year he
brought his father with him.

”When he arrived to visit the class in May we were excited to celebrate
10 years of writing back and forth especially since he brought his father
with him on this trip. We look forward to seeing Mr. Silva at the end of each
school year, and to hear about his trip across the country from California
to Pennsylvania to meet his current pen pals”

Some students commented on Mark Silva:

“My favorite part of having a Trucker Buddy is having a friend.  I also like having a Trucker Buddy for a pen pal because I get to learn more about people in other parts of the United States” – Amber

“Mr. Silva deserves to win because he writes to us every week.  He give us all kinds of things such as pencils, erasers and toys. He comes all the way from California and I am in Pa. That is like 3,000 miles.  He is really nice and funny.” – Connor

Video of Mark Silva visiting his class in Pa.