North Carolina Bus Driver Saves 28 Students From Bus Fire

Author LauRen Merola

February 22nd 10:57 AM

School bus driver Deona Washington is being hailed as a hero after she saved 28 students from her bus as it was engulfed in a massive fire.

Safety on a school bus is a critical aspect of ensuring the well-being of students during their daily commute to and from school. School buses are considered one of the safest modes of transportation due to their design and safety features. However, it’s every parents nightmare that something might go wrong on that bus.

Regular maintenance checks on school buses are also crucial to ensure that all safety equipment, such as lights, brakes, and emergency exits, are in proper working condition. It’s also important for other motorist to remember to never pass a stopped school bus with its stop sign extended.

What happened?

According to MY FOX 8, the incident occurred last Friday as Washington was transporting children home from Brogden Middle School. She reacted quickly, guided by her training, when she noticed smoke, ensuring the safety of all the students on board.

Upon her return to Brogden Middle School on Tuesday, Washington was greeted with a celebration. The school’s principal, Anthony White, commended her actions, calling her a true hero for her bravery in the face of danger. Despite the intense situation, she remained calm and focused on ensuring the safety of the children under her care.

Washington credits her training for her ability to handle the emergency effectively. She expressed gratitude for the support of her students during the incident, noting that they helped her stay calm and emphasizing her love for them.

written by

LauRen Merola Strager is a former NFL & NBA cheerleader turned radio host. LauRen is a former Miss Pennsylvania USA and is a proud wife and mother of two. She is the owner and chief editor for her fashion and lifestyle Blog “All Of The F-Words” and is a champion for the Autism community. You can read all about LauRen’s thoughts on motherhood, pageant life, and everyday life through her online content.

Jobs That Pay Over $100K Without a Degree

The traditional bachelor’s degree just isn’t for everyone. In fact, there are a big group of people who opt to skip the traditional college route and still make very good money. There are plenty of jobs out there that don’t requite a four-year bachelor’s degree but still make $100K or more per year. No, it’s not too good to be true. Let’s get into some of these high-paying jobs that pay over $100K without a degree.

Before we get into those high-paying jobs, let’s talk about how to land your dream job. Indeed.com has a great checklist of things to do when you’re on the job hunt. One major thing is to create a good resume. They suggest to tailor that resume to every job to which you’re applying, so that it fits the job perfectly. Make one “master” copy of your resume, and then use that as a template to create special resumes for each of the jobs for which you’re applying. So, how do you tailer for resume? “When deciding what to include in your resume, choose actionable items that would capture an employer’s interest,” they suggest. “Along with including qualitative results in your work experience section, you can also add in some quantifiable data.” They also say that numbers and statistics and numbers look good on a resume, so include those.

FlexJobs.com suggests to “research companies, rather than jobs.” They say to “pursue companies that mirror your values to narrow your search, and to, “seek out organizations with a strong culture fit and a mission that aligns with yours.” That’s a great tip so that you’re finding a company with the same values and ethics that you possess. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to look for actual jobs on search sites such as FlexJobs.com and Indeed.com, too. Keep an eye out for opening at your desired company that pop up.

Now, let’s get into some high-paying jobs that pay over $100K without a degree.

Technology Sales Manager
Careerkarma.com has Technology Sales Manager listed as the job without a college degree that makes the most money. Average salary is $161,920. Sound good, right? Minimum job requirements are, “Experience as a sales representative and a high-school diploma.”

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Computer and Information Systems Manager
Another high-paying job without a degree, according to Careerkarma.com, is a Computer and Information Systems Manager. They make an average of $159,010 a year. You need computer science knowledge and 5 to 10 years of management experience, they state.

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Fire chief
Here’s an interesting one. A fire chief is on Indeed’s list of high-paying jobs without a degree. They state, “Fire chiefs are responsible for overseeing and managing fire departments, which involves supervising personnel, developing budgets and planning emergency responses.” National average salary is $105,287 per year.

Getty Images / NazariyKarkhut
Product Manager
Another job on Indeed list of high-paying jobs without a degree is Product Manager. So, what is that? “They may develop and implement the large and small business strategies that fuel the product development process and manage the launch of the product’s features,” they explain.

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Professional Sports Referee
This is a really interesting one: Professional Sports Referee. The top salary per year is $210,000. But, they can make as little as $21,000 per year, too, as that’s the average salary. So, you have to get a bigger gig to make more than 100K for this job. This is according to Resumeviking.com. They state, “No academic background is necessary, apart from obtaining a referee certification in the sport you want to referee. The stakes are high, but so is the return if you have the nerves for putting it all out there with no guarantees of ever gaining enough recognition to join in on this multi-billion-dollar industry!”

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Senior Real Estate Manager
The national salary for a Senior Real Estate Manager is $133,076 per year,” according to Indeed. They state, “Senior real estate managers oversee the daily operations of a property like an apartment complex or commercial building. They typically manage maintenance teams, ensure tenants pay rent on time and fill vacancies.” They suggest to “gain experience in entry-level positions and work your way up to this job.”

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Court Reporter/Typist
A Court Reporter makes an average salary of $103,270, according to Careerkarma.com. The job is to take notes on legal proceedings in court. “To land a court reporter job with no degree, you’ll need to take the exam for Registered Professional Reporter certification,” they note. “This requires good listening skills, the ability to type quickly, and some knowledge of common legal terms.”

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Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant is No. 1 on US News and World Report’s list of the highest-paying jobs without a degree. “Executive assistants support high-level executives in public offices and private companies,” they state. “They may manage the executive’s schedule, make travel arrangements, prioritize the executive’s emails, and sometimes act as a receptionist or gatekeeper, serving as the liaison between the executive and anyone who wishes to meet with them.”

Getty Images / AntonioGuillem