Being in charge of Building Maintenance, it has been my responsibility to diligently care for the brick and mortar building that houses the EOYDC. Beside the daily cleaning and sanitation of the interior, I also keep the grounds free of trash and graffiti and keep the lawn lush and green. I take care of the plumbing, painting, electrical work, carpentry, heating and air conditioning troubleshooting, change light bulbs and probably 101 other things that are either scheduled or just spring up during the course of a day, week, month, or year. I take my responsibility very seriously for three very important reasons. First, that’s just the way I am. I believe that if you are going to do anything, you should do it well. Give it your best shot. Second, people depend on me to do my job. If the restrooms smell bad, the garbage is spilling over, and the classrooms are dirty, that doesn’t say anything positive about me or my work ethic. It also makes for an unpleasant and unsanitary condition for the young people who come here; which brings me to my third and most important reason: the young people. They are the reason I come to work everyday. I’ve been here for 10 years and I’ve had the privilege of interacting with the young people here in several ways, such as telling them to quit running in the halls, supervising those who have to perform community service, cheering them on in basketball games, and encouraging them when they need it. The kids come here to learn and grow, but getting to know them has helped me to grow as well. I’ve seen a great deal of intelligence, courage, and heart in the kids who have come here through the years; kids that are going to make a difference in their generation. That’s why it behooves me and the rest of the staff at EOYDC to strive to always do our best. Unlike sports figures, singers, and movie stars, we are the day-to-day role models that these kids look up to. As the EOYDC motto goes, my goal, our goal, is to help our young people achieve success. Claude Beverly