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It's been anything but a typical summer for 11 young men as instead of enjoying the sun or cooling off in a swimming pool, they're hard at work buffering floors, re-arranging desks and washing windows at Berwyn Heights Elementary School.
"I learned how to use the buffer, A/C, cut the grass and move stuff," said Xavier Robinson, 15, of Bladensburg. "I never knew it was this much stuff. Now I know what [custodians] have to go through because I would be mad if someone came and scratched the floors."
"[It] prepares them for on the job, not for say as being a custodian, but out there working and receiving a paycheck and keeping them out of trouble," Berwyn Heights custodian Kevin Brown said.
As well as Xavier, students Matthew Berg, 15, from Riverdale; Brandon Ross, 19, from Lanham and Brown's son Devrick Brown, 15, from Landover Hills are currently involved.
"After school is out and the teachers have thrown away everything, we have to clean everything from the ceiling to the floor," Kevin Brown said. "If it's not bolted to the wall, everything has to come out of the classroom."
Brown has been a custodian at Berwyn Heights Elementary School since 2005. In years past, the summer cleaning has been handled by him and two other custodians; however this year 11 young men ages 14 to 24 have joined him.
The young men, guided by Kevin Brown, work four days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. taking trash out, washing windows, moving desks and furniture from the rooms, stripping and re-waxing the floors, disinfecting all surfaces and mowing and caring for the outdoor plants.
Devrick said he has learned a new appreciation for his father since starting the summer job.
"I didn't know he had to do so much. I just thought he had to sweep and mop. I didn't know about all these machines," Devrick said. "I just see how hard he works and that it's not just a laid back job like some people think it is."
Besides the responsibility that a summer job has given the students, there's also the added benefit of a paycheck.
"When they first got their first paycheck their eyes lit up," Kevin Brown said. "It's actual money that mom and dad didn't have to give to them."
While Xavier and Devrick alternated between spending some and saving for the future, Matthew used half of his first paycheck to help pay for groceries for his family and the rest goes into savings for school supplies, and Brandon uses his check to pay bills.
"I'm the only one living at home with my parents right now and it feels good to have a chance to help out when I can," Matthew said. "And it shows them that I am responsible."
Kevin Brown hopes to have the school ready by Aug. 15. Classes begin Aug. 24.
"Midway, you start feeling the pressure," Kevin Brown said. "You have to get it done. Everything has to get done."
E-mail Jordan Attebury at jattebury@gazette.net.
