Going into any establishment you expect a level of cleanliness. No grime, puddles or rotting food to ruin the ambiance. The often unacknowledged hard work from custodians is what makes this level of cleanliness possible at Manhattan High.

While students sleep, go to class or relax during summer break, custodians work seemingly all the time, improving Manhattan High’s atmosphere. Stacy Reeder, an East campus food service worker and custodian, works eight-hour shifts doing the work some students take for granted. Maintaining a kitchen and cafeteria isn’t a job everyone is up for, especially when the cafeteria is flooded with high schoolers, but diligent workers like Reeder are.

“To have a good atmosphere for the kids to learn in, I think that’s what I like about it,” Reeder said about what exactly makes her job worth it.

Reeder has been operating at MHS for 20 years in total. In the past four years, she took the opportunity to work as a custodian, adding two extra work hours to her already six hours as a food service worker.

The various responsibilities of MHS custodians can be as minor as flipping on light switches to disposing heaps of trash. Dave Sunnenbeog, a custodian who’s been employed at MHS for six years, helps clean the cafeteria, bathrooms, hallways, commons area and teachers lounge. When Sunnenbeog has finished his duties, rather than slacking off, he’ll work and clean other areas of the school, making other custodians’ workload easier as well as faculty and students’ days run smoother.

“I would probably say the satisfaction and work they do, and hopefully maybe it will get better at what they do,” Sunnenboeg said.  

Jay Johnson, a custodian of 22 years, spends his evenings cleaning up the cafeteria at East campus with the night crew.

“There was one lady, a young girl who came up to me and said she appreciated me so that was worth it,” Johnson said.

Johnson works in the shadows, working the later hours in the day. Even though his job has its ups and downs as every job has, Johnson enjoys his work and the sense of gratitude from students.

Although numerous students and faculty openly share their appreciation with the custodians at MHS, like most things, that appreciation can increase. By doing little things like throwing away gum wrappers and picking up the trash during lunch, students can help out the custodians who are already helping out MHS remarkably.