Randy Colon (Ashley Block)

“I’ve been a long-term substitute custodian at Irvington since early November of last year and was hired as a full-time custodian in July. 

Irvington is a big school. There are a lot of activities and always something to do. For example, the after-school life here is very lively: cheerleading, fundraisers, and club meetings. I’ve worked at a couple of other schools short-term and you don’t see it at other schools. There’s just never a bad day here. Although, I think Irvington could be better if we (the custodians) got a golf cart.

One time, while I was cleaning the girls’ locker room, I heard knocking. I thought ‘Oh, this girl must need to use the bathroom’ but she had a donut for me and I thought that was really sweet. Sometimes, the girls who do the fundraisers will even give me cupcakes and I really appreciate that.

I know the stereotype of the creepy custodian exists, but I want students to realize that we’re just people, too. I wouldn’t say I feel underappreciated, but it can be a thankless job. However, we know the job we have to do and I like what I do. 

Typically, I start my day helping Cal in the cafeteria for a bit before receiving custodial duties that last until 10 o’clock. We also have to patrol the school to make sure it’s safe.

In my own time, I like to go to the gym. I feel like it’s a stress reliever that helps you get prepped for the day. I’m also starting to do Fortnite streaming. I like that in Fortnite you can do things that you can’t normally do in real life. You get special powers and abilities and can be something you’re not. 

I wish that students would remember that this is their school and should try to take care of it. There are messes sometimes, but we should all work together to keep it nice.”

Cal Conlon (Ashley Block)

“Before I became a custodian, I thought it was a terrible job. You have to clean toilets and do all this other stuff, but it’s not as bad as people think. Yeah, you have to clean, but we take pride in what we do. I think people have to try it to know it, and when they start to try it, it’s not as hard as people perceive it to be.

I go to different schools. Not to work, but to check them out, and they don’t have the morale that we have at this school. A lot of schools around us don’t have people who care as much about what they do. 

And it wasn’t like this three years ago. It’s been an up-and-down battle but the school has come a long way. Now that the right people are in place, it’s really comfortable to work here now.

Another recent struggle involves my first job, at Coca-Cola. Over a year ago, at my first job, I was rear-ended by a Fremont police officer going 35 miles an hour. As a result, I have four tears in my right shoulder and nerve damage on the left side of my neck. With the right treatment, the damage is reversible. However, with worker’s compensation, everything takes a long time. A year later, I’m in more pain than I was before, but you deal with it; it’s a part of life.

I wish Irvington students would realize all the hours that we put into the school to make it clean and safe for them when they come in each day. A lot of students take it for granted by clogging toilets, dumping out garbage, and not putting recyclables where they should be, and it makes our job harder. It’s what we signed up for, but I wish they would appreciate more of what we do.

Also, I hope that students, for the safety of themselves and others, would not climb on the roof. A lot of kids are doing it, and they don’t realize that they can slip.”