Prince George’s County Public Schools surprised three longtime security employees Friday with an awards celebration in Clinton, Maryland.
Vicki Revell, Kevin Carter and Horace Avent have worked a combined 100 years for the school system.
Carter has been with the school district for nearly 36 years and is responsible for making sure alarm systems work at about two dozen schools.
“I was lost for words,” Carter said.
Carter was working on security panel wiring when he said he was told to get back to the office.
“I’m like, ‘We’ve got work to do!’” Carter said.
“It’s very surprising, very surprising,” Revell, an alarm dispatcher, said.
Revell, an employee with 41 years at the school district, said her work kicks in whenever a school alarm sounds overnight.
“We are on the back lines, and some people don’t even know we’re there,” she said. “It’s like one of those offices that you know is there when you need them.”
Avent, a security guard at Hyattsville Middle School, has worked for the county for 31 years.
“When I first came in the system, I said I’d do two or three years,” he said. “I look up 31 years later, I’m still here.”
“I love what I do,” Avent added. “I think the biggest reward about working with kids is when you see them years later and they still remember you.”
The three were recognized during the first-ever Prince George’s County Public Schools Safety and Security Professionals Day ceremony. Before an audience of their peers, they received plaques, medals, gift cards and a one-night stay at The Hotel at the University of Maryland.
Interim Superintendent Shawn Joseph referred to them as “silent soldiers” as he spoke to WTOP about their work to keep schools safe.
“We have folks who monitor the buildings, 24 hours a day,” Joseph said. “They hover around multiple elementary schools. So what’s really important for us is that we celebrate all aspects of security.”
Joseph said another security officer approached him with the idea during a football game at DuVal High School last fall.
“He said, ‘Man, we’ve never been appreciated. Everybody else gets a day. What about us?’ And that stuck with me,” Joseph said.
“We have 400 people that go above and beyond the call of duty every single day, on behalf of 132,000 children and 22,000 employees,” he added. “So we’ll celebrate them every year.”
The school system also launched a “Thank-an-Officer” hotline for students.
“Thank you for being our school’s biggest helper,” one student said in a recorded message.
“You are a real-life superhero without a cape,” another said.