“When I came in as a custodian, my experience here changed my life,” said George Love, who has been working as a custodian at Vashon high school for six years.
He said he felt for what the students at Vashon – where 55 percent of students graduate – were going through, so he decided to do something about it.
“I came here and I noticed that the kids were struggling,” he said. His experience as the father of eight children motivated him to do something about it.
In 2016, he started giving juice packets to promote better classroom engagement and attendance. Then he hosted Operation Holy Smoke, a barbecue for the school, and partnered with coach Darius Tubbs and the Vashon baseball team to bring their barbecuing talents out into the community.
“When we took the young men out, me and Mr. Tubbs went out to a friend of mine’s church and we fed people,” Love said. “And the young men were serving the food.”
He had a concept beyond feeding people.
“As you know, they put heroin in the young men’s hands every day and have them out here selling drugs,” Love said. “Instead of them giving out dope, we’re showing them how to give out hope. So, when young, black men are seen on the corner giving out hope instead of dope, it makes the whole difference and changes the atmosphere of the community.”
Last year, Love invested in four students’ educational futures by awarding them $500 scholarships. Tubbs, along with school counselors Norma Burnett and Cosetta McQueen, selected the students.
“We try to check for leadership; obviously, grades; those who are somewhat outspoken in their everyday activities throughout the building; those who take leadership in the classroom, always on time to class,” Tubbs said.
The first recipients included the valedictorian, salutatorian, and two multi-sport athletes with good grades and high ACT scores. “So that speaks highly of their character and their efforts in the classroom,” Tubbs said.
Love said that people tend to wonder where he gets his money to donate, being a custodian. “Every dime that I was giving away came from the end of a broom and a mop,” said Love.
“The question shouldn’t be what my motive is for doing it,” Love said. “The question should be, what’s your motive for not doing it? Why aren’t you giving the kids something out of your pocket?”
He believes that in investing in the kids at Vashon, he is planting seeds for the future.
“If I’m going to sow my money, why should I sow it into a building? Why should I sow it into your big old church, or why should I sow it into things that everybody else is doing, just to be seen?” he said. “I’m going to sow mine into good ground, and what is good ground? These cursing kids!”
Love already has the money ready for another round of scholarships next year. “So, my thing now is to just sow even more,” he said, “see who all I can bless, who I can be a blessing to.”
