You see them in cafeterias emptying trash bins and sweeping away food debris. You see them in bathrooms wiping mirrors and mopping floors. You see them raising the flags on cold mornings and replacing or fixing light units so students are not left to study in the dark. They are the custodians of WHS, and they work hard to keep the campus clean and functioning to the best of its ability.

Every morning, David Wells, head custodian, arrives at the WHS campus between 6 and 6:30 a.m. Upon opening the building and walking inside, he prepares to start the day by trekking the halls, resolving timely issues and checking that all operations are successful. From delivering packages to refilling soap dispensers, he does whatever he can to keep the building running as students, teachers and other staff members bustle toward their classes and go about their day.

“I go home around 3 unless something comes up,” Wells said. “It’s a long day, but it’s rewarding. We [Wells and his fellow custodians] work hard and take pride in what we do each day.”

Custodians are important members of the WHS faculty and staff. Assistant principal John Ragan, whose own grandfather worked as a custodian at Mark Twain Elementary School for 14 years, believes they deserve the same reverence and kindness given to teachers and principals.

“There was a quote going around on Facebook the other day that sums it up well,” Ragan said. “‘Show as much respect to custodians as you would to the principal, if not more.’”

Trash cans and recycling bins are located all over campus for student convenience.  If that is the case, why does littering occur?

“Truthfully, our kids are pretty good about cleaning up after themselves, but there are episodes [of littering] from time to time,” Ragan said. “Kids get lazy and leave trash behind outside or knock over garbage cans. They think it’s funny.”

Trash remnants left behind not only affect the cleanliness of the building and its grounds, but the environment as well. Freshman Anna Kuenzel, a member of the Ecology Club, helps with the recycling on Friday mornings to keep her planet clean.

“The Earth is our home,” Kuenzel said. “It’s our job to take care of it.”

According to Ragan, there is always something that can be done to make things easier for the custodians: being friendly, disposing of trash in a proper manner, keeping lockers and desks clean.

“When David [Wells] or the other custodians are busy, we [Ragan and his coworkers] mop the floors or pick up trash,” Ragan said.

As students are privileged to have the rights to an education, they need to be grateful for the safe, clean and healthy environment they are given to study in.

“If you take care of the school, it shows you respect the job they [the custodians] do. Respect is the culture of the community and we want that respect to shine here, too,” Ragan said. “Nobody is more important than anybody else.”