Polished floors. Clean windows. Empty trash cans. Vacuumed carpets. The custodians save us from the mess we make every day. They come in the afternoon and at night and clean everything from the toilets in the bathrooms to the gum that somehow ends up stuck on the bottom of the desks. They keep our school clean.

Most of the time, teachers try to keep their rooms as clean as they can, but every now and then, a mess is made that is left for the custodians. Without fail, the custodians come every night to clean the room spotlessly for the next day.

Not only do they keep our school nice and orderly, but they do it without complaining. While we were enjoying a week off from school for Thanksgiving, they were here. The school was closed, even the main administration office was closed, and yet the custodial staff was still here, mopping floors and emptying trash cans.

They also keep our cafeteria in shipshape; the place where we spent half an hour every day eating. Nobody wants to eat where the floors have dried spills or the tables still have yesterday’s crumbs. Because of them, we have a sanitary lunchroom.

They don’t have to be the only ones responsible for keeping our school orderly, everyone can help. For example, there are trash cans everywhere; walk the extra five feet, so our “mysterious” gum problem will stop. Another tip would be to simply pick up your mess if you make one. Let’s say you’re in the cafeteria drinking your chocolate milk and when some of it spills onto the table, go get a napkin and wipe it up.

Simple things like that will not only keep our school flawless, but it will make our custodians’ lives easier.