On Feb.27, Middletown High School’s beloved custodian Arvin Tritapoe was honored by students wearing t-shirts with his face on the front and declaration, “Everyone needs to believe in something. I choose to believe in Arvin.” Arvin Appreciation Day 2009 was a huge success.
At a lunch table last semester, Arvin was doing his normal rounds of collecting garbage and thanking kids whenever they threw their trash away, when MHS junior Taylor Drake and other students commented on how Arvin was, “the coolest guy and did the nicest things.”
It got Drake thinking and one day he decided to create an Arvin facebook page; on the page it states that it’s a place where students can “praise our beloved janitor, Arvin, for all the good things he has done for MHS.” Soon after the page went up, other students suggested creating an event for Arvin; with the help of other students, Drake created Arvin appreciation day.
MHS junior Rosco Windon wanted to help Drake with Arvin Appreciation Day so that, “everyone could join in and recognize Arvin for what he does for the school and its students.”
Windon took charge of making t-shirts for the event; the design is a picture of Arvin’s face in four blocks in different colors on the front and an Arvin appreciation day saying on the back.
Windon created the shirt’s design with help from Drake and MHS junior Kyle Self. He then gladly recruited the help of local Middletown business CLH Creations to print the shirts. The shirts were passed out to students during Thursday to wear on Friday.
MHS students can show their thanks to Arvin in many ways. One way is giving Arvin a card thanking him for everything he has done. MHS juniors Kelsey Swann and Sarah Spiegel planned on making Arvin cards and offered to collect people’s cards to give to Arvin.
Drake planned on showing his appreciation for Arvin by “wearing his t-shirt and giving him lots of thanks and gratitude.”
Windon said, “I plan on showing Arvin my appreciation by thanking him for all he has done for us.”
Draks hopes Arvin will be thrilled about the whole event.
“I would like him to feel really appreciated and envied by all,” he said.
