NORTH ANDOVER — “The Blizzard Buster” snowplow pulled up to North Andover Middle School as light snow fell Thursday morning, but it wasn’t there to bust any snow.
The state snowplow made a special visit for the seventh-grade classroom and teacher who helped name it.
The name was one of 12 winners in the third annual Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s annual “Name A Snowplow” contest for the state’s elementary and middle school students. There were 1,200 entries generated from public school classrooms across the state in this year’s contest to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows.
The contest celebrates the winter season and helps to highlight the work of public works employees and contractors.
North Andover Middle School seventh-grade special education teacher Gabrielle Correnti and her students crafted the winning wintry name. “Blizzard Buster” was one of six names chosen at the middle school level.
A decal on the truck’s door sports the name and a nod to the school where it originated.
MassDOT workers parked the “Blizzard Buster” outside the middle school’s entrance at 495 Main St. Two students helped unveil the name by pulling a ceremonial ribbon off in front of state and local officials, the school community and district administration, as well as MassDOT Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.
Superintendent Pamela Lathrop said the plow will be stationed in Lawrence. “Hopefully we’ll get to see it around this area,” she said.
Correnti and her students collaborated in class to come up with the name, sorting through a list of contenders before voting on what would be their entry in the contest. Lathrop said the contest created a conversation about civics and gave the students insight on how democracy and voting works.
The students had the chance to climb inside the plow and use the air horn. Correnti and Principal Jorge Goncalves also seized the opportunity to get behind the wheel.
The kids asked the MassDOT workers about their jobs, inquiring how long they have to drive the trucks, rules of the road and what happens when they get hungry on the road during a storm.
But most importantly, there was one big question on the kids’ minds. Lathrop said the students were vocal about wanting to see the snowplow in action.
“They’re asking for one more snow day,” he said with a laugh.