A major spotlight is on Tim Tyler, a custodian who regularly walks the halls of Freedom High School protecting students from threatening germs and illnesses. He’s called an innovator at the front line of defense in stopping germs.

“I love the school,” Tyler said. “The students are very polite and the staff is great.”

Tyler shares his love for the students and the school community after working at Freedom High School for 11 years. Before his introduction to the school, he was working at a much smaller school, Livingston Elementary.

Tyler admits transitioning from a small size school to a sizeable one as a “big change, a nice one.” Livingston Elementary had only one gym, compared to the substantial auxiliary and main gym at FHS. It was a noticeable and dramatic transition but he adjusted rapidly to his new environment by enjoying the company and the diversity of the student body and staff.

After working with the community for many years, Tyler has learned every corner of the school and has taught many others the ways in which he helps maintain the school. His tasks include cleaning and sweeping the cafeteria so that it’s clean and and fresh for students. Tyler also likes to focus on keeping classrooms spotless by making sure floors are sweeped or vacuumed.

“It takes a lot to maintain the school” Tyler said. “There’s a lot of different stuff to do, from the school cafeteria to bathrooms, rooms and even outside.”

Often times, custodians contribute to the formation of major events such as prom, homecoming and sport games.

After these events, the staff stays long hours to clean up to create a healthy environment for the next school day. Going above and beyond in their work is a common trait for school custodians.

“All custodial staff in [Freedom] work hard to make the environment clean and safe,” Assistant Principal Fred LeMaster said. “Their job has a meaningful contribution.”

Their upbeat characters have also influenced and impacted students.

“They overall make it very positive and welcoming,” junior Caroline Menante said. “They are also really nice to us, and always interact with us and always have a smile on their face. They are very involved in the sense that they are always willing to help.”

The motivation behind helping on various occasions are the students.

“They are very polite and friendly,” Tyler explains.

The kindness of the staff and student body motivates and inspires Tyler and other custodians to continue fighting germs and illnesses.