Tom Toland was awarded service person of the year for the 24-25 school year.
He is a janitor here at Wheeling Park High School and emphasizes the importance of the janitorial staff here at school. He was awarded service person of the year for Ohio County, and is now up for the award across the state of West Virginia.
Toland finds great value in cleaning up the school and making sure it’s spotless for all of the students and staff, and in a larger way, helping the whole community.
He focuses on being a bright light to the people around him, and tries his best to help improve his colleagues day.
“He’s always willing to lend a hand. He’s an extremely hard worker and such a compassionate person. He absolutely deserves this award” said fellow janitor, Tara Burnsworth.
Toland is such a positive force here at Wheeling Park, and he is always working to make the work environment around him as uplifting as possible. He finds his job extremely rewarding and necessary for the school.
“I mean, people say, if you’re a custodian, you’re a nobody,” Toland said, “Everyone has to have a job, it has to be done, regardless of if it’s a custodian, teacher, or principal, it doesn’t matter, if you have a job you have to come do it. I think because of that it’s rewarding in a way”.
Toland has gone through his own struggles to get where he is today; he is a heart transplant recipient. He’ll celebrate having his new heart for 11 years this May. He’s an advocate and asks for everyone to please consider Donate Life. April is Donate Life Awareness month.
