By Alana Farkas
We see them during the day. We see them at night. We see them at every school event. Sometimes, we don’t even see them, but it’s an undeniable fact that they are always there, working hard for our sake.
Who are they? They are South’s heroes, always there to save the day. They are soldiers protecting our battleground, the warriors defending us from the havoc of South student messes. Every sweep of a broom, every lock of a door, every lift of a desk is a work of pure pride.
They are Great Neck South’s team of custodians.
Sometimes forgotten, the work of our custodians keeps this school up and running. What would we ever do without them?
Imagine a world of chaos and disorder where students are left to walk and work in their own garbage and waste; where students’ safety and security is at constant risk; where damaged roofs and broken windows go unnoticed.
This would be our inescapable fate if it weren’t for our custodians, who devote all eight hours of their workday – and often more than that – maintaining the well-being of our students and faculty.
The custodians deserve much praise for their role; however,  students often forget to acknowledge their hard work.
The custodians also always put the safety of the students and faculty before their own. Custodian Richard Wahl said, “We put the students first. For example, during a fire drill our first concern is that all of the students are safely out of the school before we custodians exit the building.”
This is just one of the never-ending list of jobs custodians are responsible for.
Mr. Wahl said, “We do electrical work, painting and waxing. We clean every classroom ceiling to floor, maintaining it for the students. I feel like I’m a parent always looking out for the children. I’ve been in the profession for thirteen years, and after a while I grow with the students.”
While you might be responsible for keeping your own room clean, the custodians are responsible for keeping the whole school up and running. For six and a half hours a day, five days a week, South is our home; and while we learn and strive, the custodians help to ensure that we receive the best possible experience and education.
So take some time and acknowledge our custodians. Thank them for all their work and for keeping our home under control.