Most high school students start a pretty simple day every morning. After waking up from their few hours of sleep, quickly fixing their appearance, and rushing to school, they make their way into the building. Some might linger in the hallways for a few minutes, some might head to class early to finish up last night’s homework, but whether they’re at a desk or lounging around in the library, there’s always some things that go unnoticed. Weren’t those hallways a little bit dirtier yesterday? And what happened to that soda that was spilled on a couple desks?

Those little messes just don’t disappear overnight. After the classroom doors are closed and everyone’s taking their after school nap, someone else stays to do the dirty work. That someone at Wayne City High School is Billie Reynolds. She has been working at Wayne City for two years now, and there’s always sure to be a smile when she’s around. Billie arrives at the school just when everyone else is leaving, and she doesn’t head home until about 7:00. “I get here around one or two, but I don’t leave until you guys are long gone!” says Billie, with a smiling face, when asked about her working hours. Although her work is sometimes taken for granted, this school wouldn’t be the same without her around. Cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming the classes, and cleaning up any messy spills are just a few of the jobs she does throughout her day. “Billie is the hardest working person I know. She cleans everything. And more!” says Austin McCarthy, a high school student who works after school with Billie. She can always be found in a classroom after the school day has ended, and it’s hard to catch her when she’s not busy.

However, just last school year, Billie was diagnosed with cancer. The students here at Wayne City wanted to give back to Billie for all she has done for them, so they came up with an idea to raise her as much money as they could. This was just a way to thank Billie for all the hard work she does around the school. After all, daily custodial life is more than just simply sweeping the floor and taking out the trash. It’s keeping the school clean and problem-free.