When I was in school we had a really nice janitor that worked there.
That's nice -- he or she must have made an impression! What stood out about them?
Well obviously he did all the maintenance, but he also did security duties. He was just super friendly and if kids weren't getting along or picking on each other, he'd sit them down and work things out.
That's awesome -- going above and beyond. Did he have children of his own? (Even though I know that's not always the kind of thing kids are aware of!)
I don't know if he did, but I think kids today maybe need these kind of mentors and a friend they can talk to when things get rough. He was especially friendly to those who seemed like an outcast. He touched a lot of lives.
*I* feel touched with you telling me this story! Did the school ever give him any kind of formal recognition? Although it doesn't sound like he needed it -- definitely driven to do good because that's just who he was.
I'm not sure that he ever did, but everyone knew him and he always had a smile for everyone. He even prevented bullying and fights.
Well, I agree with you about kids needing mentors. And good on him for preventing bullying, and maybe getting kids to be more aware of their choices. What a terrific role model.
He was and I think it made kids understand that any job is an honest job. He wasn't "just" a janitor.
So important that he could model to kids that it's about who you are as a person, NOT what you do for a living.