Aol's BeOn group creates custom editorial content that is sponsored by marketing partners. The sponsoring partners do not exert editorial influence over the content, but may be organically integrated within content in an authentic manner that does not impact editorial integrity.
Estella Pyfrom had been teaching for 50 years when she was faced with retirement. However, the passionate Florida native couldn’t give up helping children entirely.
“With a piece of paper and a pencil, I started trying to design a project that would take the service to the neighborhoods where the services were needed,” she explained. Soon, Estella’s Brilliant Bus was born.
Estella’s Brilliant Bus travels to low-income communities, providing technology and education to the underserved. “I chose to involve technology because it’s a way to bridge the digital divide and stay connected with the world,” Pyfrom added.
Thanks to her father, the Florida A&M University graduate grew up around trucks and buses, which she later learned how to drive. This, coupled with her unique educational background, helped shape the concept of the mobile learning center, which has served more than 51,000 kids in just three years.
According to local teachers, a class of students may only have access to a few computers, but there are upwards of 20 desktops on the bus. Pyfrom hopes to set up more learning centers, eventually expanding nationwide. When asked about her aspirations for the nonprofit, she said, “My dream would be at least one Brilliant Bus in every city in the United States.”
