Atlantic City Director of Youth Services Christina Noble outside the 'Great Day' bus.
A group of Atlantic City students were treated to a twist on a snow day Monday.
Not a flake fell in the city, but the students were able to get in their choice of skiing, snowboarding or tubing courtesy of Big Snow in the American Dream Mall.
The trip to East Rutherford, Bergen County, was the inaugural ride for the city's news "Great Day" bus, which Mayor Marty Small has said will cut costs of transportation for youth and senior services.
The bus references Small's mantra that he uses to begin and end every talk: "It's a great day here in the city of Atlantic City. Can we say, 'Great day'?"
Atlantic City is focusing on helping the youth get experiences beyond the "48 blocks" of their hometown.
"This is monumental," city Youth Services Director Christina Noble said of the maiden voyage.
She noted that, as small as the city is, students rarely venture beyond its borders.
"We really just want to expose our youth to as many different things as we possibly can," she said.
Mayor Marty Small has taken some criticism for the expenditure, but said programs like this are why it's worth while.
"Did the kids say they're excited?" he asked a group of reporters. "That's what's important."
