WESTERVILLE, Ohio — More than 12,000 custodians take care of K-12 school buildings in Ohio, among them is Mike Pierce.

He’s the head custodian at Walnut Springs Middle School in Westerville. Although he spent some time at one other school in the district, it’s the staff and students at Walnut Springs that’s kept him there for decades.

What You Need To Know

  • Mike Pierce has been a custodian in Westerville City Schools for 44 yrs

  • He serves as a mentor to kids and adults

  • He hopes his words of encouragement and life lessons help kids through life

Pierce wouldn’t have it any other way, as he’s had the chance to get to know so many kids.

While he’s spent the summer with his crew cleaning up the building and getting it ready for another school year, he, like many others, looks forward to the first day of school. That’s because the kids bring so much joy and excitement. For Pierce, it’s more than a job. He not only helps with lunch duty, but he serves as a mentor too. Often he said he helps to redirect kids when they get a little off track.

“We’ll just talk one-on-one about how life is sometimes, and how they need to concentrate on their studies and do a good job in trying to maintain their school work and getting a good education,” he said.

That’s so that they can become productive citizens in life. At other times Pierce is just that listening ear that kids often need. His hope is that kids will take the life lessons and apply them in life long after they’ve left Walnut Springs Middle.

Those talks, looking out for kids, and just being there for them, have earned Pierce the nickname Grandpa, which he doesn’t mind.

The kids haven’t been the only ones benefitting from that same type of mentoring and inspiration that Pierce shares daily.

“I was a year old when he started…so a lot of knowledge and those three years, I’ve learned a lot,” said Steven Denman, assistant custodian.

For Denman, being at Walnut Springs with Pierce makes him feel like he’s part of something that’s much bigger than himself, which is a family. So when they clean and repair things, it’s all a team effort.

Pierce said Walnut Springs is home for him. Since it’s home and it’s where he started his career, that’s where he’ll end it; but that time isn’t now.

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