They’re the first faces students see when they walk into the building every morning. They’re the ones who never forget to wave to you in the halls or ask you how your day’s going. They keep the school running safely and they do it with a smile. Almost everyone here at Verrado is familiar with our friendly security guards. As well known as they might be, it still has to be asked; are we giving our security guards enough credit?

“I think security guards have the most unique job in the school system”, says Louie Faison, one of Verrado High School’s amazing security guards. Having the pleasure to sit down with him and ask a few questions gives a better view of the work that they do here at our school. I started by asking him how a typical day goes for the security guards, to which he stated, “Making sure everyone gets into the building safely… that starts the day off right there”. He explained how being a security guard has many different tasks, all of which center around the safety of our school. “Lunch is the hardest part of the day because it’s the most chaotic, but it’s also great because you get to see most of the kids” Louie stated. While their job is to prioritize students’ safety, they also balance that with the social aspect of the job and the importance of connecting with the students, which can’t always be easy.

This is Louie’s 6th year as a security guard, and it’s his first full year here at Verrado, but in such little time, he’s been able to learn so much about our school and build so many relationships.  Maintaining those relationships and being a rock for students can probably get difficult when they’re also trying to stay so alert and on top of everything happening on campus, but Louie went on to say that that’s why he likes his job so much. “Our job as security, what I like the most about it, is building the relationships”, followed by “That’s why I’m in it, I’m in it for the kids”. They don’t just prioritize student safety, but also students’ well-being. While the job can get tough, our security guards are here for the students first and foremost, and to them being a mentor is also a big part of that job. 

Security guards have a tough job to do, and it seems that whenever they have to enforce rules they get a little backlash from students. Many kids get upset with them over things like having to wear IDs or needing a pass when they leave class. We need to remember that they don’t make the rules, they just enforce them because that’s their job. Many students, including myself, have a friendly relationship with at least one or more of our security team, so it’s important that we all show them respect for all they do. Aside from that, if you have yet to spark up a conversation with someone from our security team, this is your sign of engaging with them if you see them in passing! Simply a hello or a smile might just make their day, and it can help show them some appreciation for all they do. It’s time they get some credit where it’s due because Verrado is lucky to have a security team that cares so much.