DHS janitor Maria Mast wakes up at the crack of dawn, ready and working by 6 a.m.
“I start out my day at work by cleaning the school’s bathrooms, then I clean the band room, orchestra room and the floors,” she said.
Mast said making sure all of the kids in the high school are taken care of is her most important task throughout her day.
“I love all the kids here,” she said. “They are a big part of my life, and I really enjoy being around them.”
Her favorite part of her day is seeing the kids during all three lunch periods.
“They all make me feel like family,” she said. “A lot of them just greet me with huge smiles and scream my name when they see me. They’re all awesome.”
Senior Aj Korte has known Mast since his freshman year..
“Maria just enjoys being around everyone,” he said. “She’s so full of energy, and she’s just a genuinely nice person, which can be hard to come around. You can tell she loves her job.”
She has two younger boys, who both attend Mill Creek Middle School and who she loves coming home to after she gets off work.
Mast said, “It’s always bittersweet coming home because I love all the children at school, but I love coming home and seeing my own children as well. They too put a huge smile on my face every day.”
