By Shirley Shuman
Entering the main door or commons area of Braxton County High in the afternoon for the last 23 years, one would usually see an individual hard at work. Looking up from her work, the custodian always offered a smile, a wave of the hand, or a few words of greeting. Probably one of the best greeters BCHS had for that time was Treva Simons, the 2021-2022 Service Personnel of the Year. At the same time, she was ensuring that her section of the building was spotless.
Taking pride in her work is an essential characteristic of Simons, and it shows. Assistant principal Lori Stover-Williams said she nominated the custodian “based on her dedication, work ethic, and years of service to Braxton County High School, and its students.” She continued to emphasize “the extreme pride she takes in a job well done.”
Stover-Williams also referred to Simons as “our most loyal custodian for more than 20 years,” and pointed out that “her section of the building always shines the brightest.” Here she added, “When other schools visit BCHS, they always comment on the cleanliness of the building, especially the main entry and commons area.”
Another characteristic which has been notable is her relationship with students. Asked what she enjoyed most about her job, Simons said, “Talking to the kids. [During breaks] we had a lot of kids coming into our janitor’s closet to talk about their home lives, what happened to them. We always tried to give them good advice.”
Simons retired at the end of the recent school term Asked how she would fill her time now, she noted that she and her husband Tim, also a retired and respected custodian, “like to travel” and mentioned two sites—Pigeon Forge and the beach. She also enjoys spending time with her parents, and, like many Braxton Countians, she has a big garden and will be canning much of what she grows.
One point she made which may be related to her work as a custodian is her attitude toward her lawn. “I’m “picky about my yard,” she stated. “I mow the grass and make sure it’s done right.”
In her quieter times, Simons enjoys listening to music. “I like the older rock and roll and older country,” she said.
Now that she’s retired, will she miss her job? Indicating that there are definitely aspects of the job she’ll miss, she said, “I’ll miss being at school; I’ve been there so long. I’ll miss the students and staff. I thought we always had good teachers.” Her final words: “I’ll miss the building.” Perhaps the building will miss her, too. So will the people inside the building.
