Student in Sumner County recognized for his artwork

SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — One student in Sumner County received a heartfelt surprise from the district’s transportation team on Wednesday morning.

Brycen Ray, 17, has autism. He attends Portland High School and has a passion for school buses.

“Every morning, he will wait out at bus duty in the morning and he will watch every bus come in and he will tell us everything he knows about those buses,” Brycen’s teacher, Kimberly Rowe, said. “He knows the drivers. He knows the history. He knows the year (of the bus).”

Ray is a talented artist. When he learned of the district’s need for more bus drivers, he sketched his own recruitment poster using buses he had ridden before.

“My favorite bus driver was Mr. Roy. He retired in 2023,” Brycen said. “And he rode [bus number] 614, my dream bus. And then he swapped to (bus number) 763, which is a 2021 school bus.”

The county’s transportation team was so touched by his gesture, they found a creative way to recognize Brycen’s efforts: they put his design on T-shirts and wore them to school.

“It feels cool!” Brycen told News 2 shortly after the surprise.

Beyond just recognizing Ray for his detailed and thoughtful art, those involved in the surprise wanted Brycen to know just how talented he is.

“My whole job is to have him be the best that he can be and to recognize what he can do… after he’s out of high school,” Rowe said. “I want him to realize this is an avenue he can use to create a successful life for himself.”

“Some parents, when they get that original diagnosis, they don’t know what to do, they don’t know what to think,” explained Kimberly Ray, Brycen’s mom. “But, just treat them like normal kids. The possibilities are endless. Look at him, he’s so successful in everything that he’s done.”

Going forward, Brycen’s artwork will be used by Sumner County Schools to recruit more bus drivers to their district.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.