Custodians: Atholton’s Nighttime Warriors

Chloe Shader

Editor-in-Chief

June 5, 2019

     They sweep the floors, clean the cafeteria, and keep our school clean; the most essential jobs at Atholton have long been preformed by  Custodians.

      It all starts with Mr. Duke, the night building supervisor. In 2020, he will have worked at Atholton for 30 years. “My favorite [part] is the faculty and associating with the students over the years. It can be trying at times, but it’s all part of the job,” he said. Beyond working at our school, he is “a football watcher,” and a “fan of the Seattle Seahawks.”

     Mr. Phillip Bonsu, another custodian, also shares Mr. Duke’s passion for sports. “I like soccer,” he said, adding, “In the World Cup my favorite team is Germany,” and  “I’ve liked them since 1990.” He said he also enjoys rooting for Ghana, where he is from, and “local teams like Liverpool.” Mr. Bonsu has been a custodian at Atholton for four years and for the HCPSS system for twelve.

     Ms. Charity Marfo has worked almost as long as Mr. Bonsu, at 14 total years in HCPSS. Though she has only worked at Atholton one year, she said she likes it. “I like the kids, the teachers; everybody respects us,” she said. Additionally, she said she enjoys cleaning and that “if you come to my house you will see the difference. If I know how to do all that, why [not] extend it to a different place–that’s why I work in the schools.”

     Despite all of this, the job is not without its challenges. “I’m concerned about [students] tearing up things in their school,” said Mr. Duke,  adding, “I hope that some of them don’t treat their home like they treat their school.”

     Mr. Kevin Dixon, who has been a custodian at Atholton for six years, also has hopes for students. “I just want everybody to have a good time, be safe, and be true to [themselves],” he said. He also talked about how he loves the teachers and students at Atholton, and how “this new staff of principals is awesome.” In his free time, Mr. Dixon sings, dances, and roller skates both competitively and recreationally. He also enjoys “line dancing and Zumba.”

     He wasn’t afraid to share more of his thoughts. “I just want everybody to get along, enjoy their summer, be safe, respect their mother and father, and come back to school next year on a better note than what it was this year,” he said.