OFTEN times, we forget the significance of custodians here at Granger High School. They do not really get the recognition they deserve. There should be more ways to reward them for their hard work and let them know we appreciate what they do for our school. Walking around campus, you never really notice the mess students make and definitely don’t notice the individuals who pick it up when students leave.

Granger High is such a large school that we often forget how things can add up. As a Lancer and seeing all the hard work our custodians put into keeping our school as beautiful as possible, we should appreciate it as much as we can. Students don’t realize just how much of a mess can be made.

Janitors and custodians are people, too. They put up with a lot of stuff and take every disrespectful thing with maturity, whether you are one of the people guilty of treating these people indifferently or do all you can to contribute to their job. While talking with a few people about custodians and if it is an agreeable topic that these individuals who work for Granger get the recognition they deserve, it was often said that they do not. It is a tragedy that as a student body we know we could be doing more but make the decision not to.

Ask a custodian his or her name when you see them in the halls. Simply saying hello can go a long way. Spare 30 seconds of your day to thank the person that takes the time to make sure you have a clean space to learn in. Custodians are the unsung heroes here at school. Everyone knows to revere firemen and police officers; on the other hand, people find it hard to voice their admiration or sincere respect for custodial staff.

To be fair, contemplating the trials of being a custodian can be something we may not under- stand. I am no expert on what it is like to be a custodian, but even my own limited observations have shown me just how much they have to put up with.

There are standard job requirements for a custodian, such as mopping or sweeping and basic cleaning, but there are also un- necessary tasks they must spend time on created by us, the people they are cleaning up after, which unfairly burden people who al- ready work with little to no thanks given by those they are helping. Individuals were asked on what small things could be done for the custodians here at Granger. After some thought, some ideas came to mind.

Throw a party and invite everyone who works in the building. Give your custodians a chance to relax. Cake and a short speech of recognition from the principal or a few students is plenty to make workers feel valued and appreciated. Even writing a thank you note, give specific examples of why you’re grateful, is great. In particular, mention why their work is helping the school grow and meet goals.

By putting your appreciation into writing, it becomes a memorable keepsake. Our guess is that most custodial staff don’t receive that kind of attention very often. As Lancers, we should make it more of a priority to do these little acts of kindness.

Research shows that most custodians feel overworked. Many custodians must work five days per week and clean more of the school if their coworkers cannot come in to work. Trash bins over-flowing with garbage and spilling onto the floor… a thin film of dust coating the floor…grime leaving the table surfaces sticky… all of this would be happening if it wasn’t for the work of our custodians. Nonetheless, don’t be the person that goes against their efforts of maintaining a clean school. If you see a mess, clean it. The little things can go a long way.