Last Sunday marked National Custodian Appreciation Day; a celebration of custodians around the country. Custodians are some of the most hardworking yet underrated people in the workforce. To highlight the importance of these individuals, the Green Hope Falcon sat down with Ms. Deborah “Debbie” Holt, who has been the head custodian of Green Hope High School for four years.

Working alongside Mr. Ken Hodge and Mr. William Murdoch, the team of three can be found doing a multitude of tasks to ensure that students and faculty can perform their best. Throughout the day, the custodians are constantly on the go blowing the leaves outside, restocking restrooms throughout the building, and collecting lost and found clothes.

While Ms. Holt describes the school’s environment as some of the most helpful and clean students in the county, the custodial team still has some hopes for the student body.

The infamous TikTok trend “Devious Licks” may be over, but if it resurfaces, students are encouraged to avoid feeling pressured into participating. During that short-lived but disastrous era, Ms. Holt recalls toilet paper dispensers, bathroom mirrors, and soap dispensers ripped off the wall. In one case, she recalls a toilet separated from the floor.

A more recent and pressing issue is students who leave off-campus for lunch throwing their trash in the parking lot. Ms. Holt says this adds thirty minutes to an hour to her workload daily. Green Hope staff advises students to instead find a nearby trash can to combat the littering problem.

Beyond managing and carrying out tasks to maintain cleanliness in the facility, Ms. Holt strives to make long-lasting and optimistic relationships with the students and staff whom she considers family. Whether it be buying special education students pizza and ice cream or lending a helping hand to a hungry student, Ms. Holt strives to leave a positive impact on students. Amongst the staff, Ms. Holt has been a support system for several years, making sure to lend a listening ear when needed.

Although National Custodian Appreciation Day has ended, Green Hope students are continually reminded to demonstrate respect to the diligent custodial staff. Anything makes a difference, whether that is by being aware of the trash left behind or showing sincerity to Ms. Holt, Mr. Murdoch, and Mr. Kent around the building.