Lights, camera, action! Every school day starts with buses pulling up to RM and the rush of students heading to class, but what happens behind the scenes often goes unnoticed. While teachers and students are hard at work in classrooms, bus drivers, security staff, cafeteria workers and building service employees are ensuring everything runs smoothly.
Take Anderson Toledo, a bus driver who’s been getting students to and from school for years. While he may be behind the wheel every day, Toledo is more than just the driver: he’s the life of the bus. Toledo can be found blasting music, setting up fun decorations or giving out candy on holidays, turning routine rides into memorable experiences.
“I love to drive,” Toledo says. “I’m not a NASCAR driver, but I love being on the road.” His enthusiasm is contagious, making every day brighter for the students on his bus.
Toledo takes his job seriously and always tries his best. “I think one of the requirements for this job is to be, you know, nice to the students,” Toledo said. “Outside of this job, I’m a little bit more quiet, but, you know, because of the nature of the job, I like to be extra talkative.”
Many students recognize the efforts and dedication of their bus drivers. “Mr. Anderson is my school bus driver, and I’m really thankful for him,” sophomore Henry Yang said. “Every day when I get on the bus, we greet each other, and it really makes my day. He always makes the bus more lively and interacts with everyone.”
Freshman Charis Lin feels the same way about Mr. Anderson. “I think he really cares about the people on his bus and I feel like a lot of people would treat this as such a boring job with no respect, but I think he makes people genuinely respect him because he genuinely enjoys his job,” Lin said. “That’s why he does all these things like putting lights on the bus and playing music.”
Lin recalls one of her favorite memories with Mr. Anderson. “He gave us candy on Halloween,” Lin said. “He put a tray at the front of the bus, and then he told us to take as much as we could.”
Little acts of kindness and support extend to the school. Behind every clean hallway and safe classroom is a team of people making it all happen.
“It’s easy to overlook their contributions, but their impact is huge,” freshman Charis Lin said. “They do a lot of important things, but they don’t always get seen. It’s sad because they really help the school keep running.”
One group of individuals that play a key role at RM are the technicians behind the scenes of RM’s Drama Club, The Black Maskers. Andrew Potvinin is RM’s Media Services Technician but after school is the technical supervisor for The Black Maskers. “Mr. Potvin helps make sure the technical side of RM’s drama club is running smoothly, from props to lighting and sound,” freshman and drama club member Yair Echerman said. “He personally helped train me on how to use power tools in set construction and how to walk on the catwalk without falling to my death!” Mr. Potvin isn’t just behind the scenes: he shapes students’ experience with theater and makes learning more fun.
The security team also plays an essential role in keeping RM safe. One security member is Victoria Bonvillain. “I’ve been in MCPS for about three years and hoping to eventually go into law enforcement,” she said. Apart from working at RM to keep students safe, she loves hiking with her dog, hanging with friends and going to game nights. Despite the difficult nature of her work, she maintains a positive outlook, making everyday more enjoyable for students.
Similarly, freshman Shriya Sharma shares a time when security staff member Matt Schwartzback went out of his way to help her find a lost phone. “I lost my phone one day and was really nervous,” Sharma said. “He was very understanding, and he even offered to check the security footage to help me find it. I eventually found it in the office, but I really appreciated his help.”
