Daimler Truck Group North America LLC (DTNA) is helping children see the world through the eyes of professional truck drivers.

Freightliner, Western Star, and Detroit brand trucks — all components of DTNA — are supporting Trucker Buddy by sponsoring the Trucker Buddy of the Month program for the next three years.

Trucker Buddy International is an independent, non-profit organization,that has helped educate schoolchildren and introduce educators to the trucking industry. The Trucker Buddy program helps to educate and mentor schoolchildren via a pen pal relationship between professional truck drivers and children in grades K-8 as supervised by their teachers.

Drivers share news about their travels with their class, and students' skills in reading, writing, geography, mathematics, social studies, and history are enhanced and learning is made fun.

"DTNA believes in Trucker Buddy's mission to educate schoolchildren about our industry and the people who are out there on the road day after day," said Jennifer Edwards, marketing communications manager, Freightliner Trucks. "We think this program is valuable and are proud to support it."

The Trucker Buddy of the Month is a monthly recognition of drivers whose classes nominate them to be the top participant of that month. Teachers and students send letters to the Trucker Buddy office explaining why their Buddy should be awarded.

Since 1992, Trucker Buddy International has helped educate over a million schoolchildren and introduced them to caring, compassionate men and women, professional truck drivers. The on-going success of the program is due to driver volunteers, participating teachers and the contributions of sponsors. There is no cost to the drivers or teachers to participate in the program. The Trucker Buddy program is funded entirely by sponsorships and donations.