In October 2025, during NJSBA’s annual Workshop, a select group of school staff members was honored during the third annual “Unsung Superheroes in Education Awards” ceremony. The award recognizes individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often without recognition, to ensure that New Jersey’s schools run smoothly and provide a safe and nurturing environment for students.
In a new spotlight feature, School Board Notes will recognize each 2025 Unsung Superhero recipient. This week, we are highlighting Kenny Sinnott, the 2025 Unsung Superhero in the bus driver category.
Every weekday morning, before most people have begun their day, Kenny Sinnott is already behind the wheel. As a school bus driver for the Bound Brook School District in Somerset County, Sinnott has built a quiet but powerful reputation.
Sinnott’s path to driving a bus came by way of a friend’s suggestion. Previously, he spent years working as a route salesman for the iconic Drake’s Cakes brand, until it merged with another company. Looking for a change, Sinnott’s friend recommended he try his hand at driving a school bus. Sinnott made the switch and joined the Bound Brook School District in 2015. He never looked back.
“It’s the social aspect,” Sinnott said of what keeps him coming back each day. In a small district like Bound Brook, bus drivers are familiar faces and a constant presence in a student’s life. Sinnott has fully leaned into that role, cultivating relationships not only with students but also with parents and staff throughout the community.
But it was one particular day early in his career that helped him understand he had chosen the right path.
A homeless high school student was facing what should have been one of the happiest milestones of her life — graduation day. Without reliable transportation or stable support, the odds of her simply getting there were stacked against her. Sinnott and a teacher, Lauren Belli, stepped in without hesitation. They drove hours away to pick her up and to all the stops needed to ensure she was prepared for the ceremony. Afterward, they transported her to her new foster home. By the time Sinnott finally pulled into his own driveway, it was after midnight.
By any standard, that was far beyond his job description. But to hear Sinnott tell it, it was simply the right thing to do, and he loved every minute of it.
“It’s a great small town,” he said. “It’s easy to feel comfortable.”
That sense of duty runs deep in him. He speaks openly about the influence of his parents, particularly his father’s tireless work ethic, as the foundation of who he has become. Hard work in the Sinnott household was expected. Sinnott called that a lesson he and his brothers learned well.
His day-to-day responsibilities extend beyond the morning and afternoon commute. In a one-square-mile district with only a few drivers, Sinnott juggles scheduling and transportation for after-school sports, robotics clubs and events across multiple schools. He also helps with cafeteria duties and assists with bus maintenance. The work he does requires a delicate balancing act, but he navigates it perfectly.
As a driver in a small district, calling out sick is not an option, as it can mean students do not get to school. Sinnott takes that reality seriously because he knows the families in his community are counting on him and his colleagues. “The worst thing you want to hear as a bus driver is, ‘Where is the bus?” he joked. “I build trust just by being on time and courteous.”
Yet somehow, amid the weight of all that responsibility, Sinnott keeps things light. He makes it a point to share a laugh with the students on his bus, believing that humor and warmth are as essential to the job as punctuality. His personal goal, it seems, is to make the students’ journey a little better each day. “I goof on them, and they goof on me back,” he laughed.
Off the clock, Sinnott trades his big yellow bus for something with considerably more horsepower. He is the proud owner of a canary-yellow 1965 Chevrolet Impala, a 700-horsepower machine.
Some heroes wear capes. Others quietly roll through a small town in Somerset County on weekdays before the sun comes up to ensure children arrive on time where they need to be.
The NJSBA congratulates Kenny Sinnott on his achievement.
Nominations for the 2026 Unsung Superheroes in Education Awards are open! To shine a light on your district’s superhero, please complete a nomination form no later than June 30, 2026.
