Upon a student’s arrival at school, they may be filled with dread and worry over their day. Students may feel the urge to yawn at the thought of seven hours of learning. But no matter what – if they come in through the F-wing entrance – they have someone waiting there for them.
Don, a security guard known around the school for his positive attitude, always greets students in the morning with a fist bump. Beginning their day brightly in the building, the students are then sent on a path of success for the rest of the day. Thanks to Don, no matter where these students come from, they have the reassurance that at least one person is always happy to see them. Present in the mornings, in the midday, and in the afternoons, there is little time when he isn’t around. Even at Homecoming and Prom, Don busts moves in the dance circles and cheers students on, all while protecting their best interests. In the student center, Don frequents many of the student tables, asking about their day and picking up student spirits for the rest of their classes, with a senior commenting, “I like fist bump guy!”
But past his encouraging attitude, who really is Don?
Beginnings
Don, born Donald Basco, graduated from Riverside High School in 1975. Out of high school, Don took job opportunities as they came to him. Before working at Mentor High School, Don traveled to Tucson, Arizona, where he worked for approximately four years as a security officer with armored cash transit vehicles before being promoted to supervisor. Reflecting on the job, Don talked about the intense background check for the job, telling Cardinal Nation about the nearly six-month process. As a security officer, the job was incredibly rewarding for Don, saying, “I enjoyed it ’cause you get to meet people and see people.” However, after deciding that working inside as a security supervisor was not his chosen path in life, Don applied to Marriott International, where he spent a year and a half as a loss prevention agent. Then, Marriott offered him the chance to do engineering and home improvement for their buildings, an offer he took, spending the next 15 years in the position.
Following his stay at Marriott International, Don moved back to Ohio with his wife, looking for work. Seeing an opening at Mentor High School, Don applied for the student supervisor position, commenting, “Boom. Bing. Bang. And here I am. Simple. See, don’t make things difficult. Don’t ever let your emotions override your intellect. You go into emotions, you are gonna get in trouble. Life is easy. People make it difficult.”
Life at Mentor High School and Beyond
Now, Don enjoys working with students and seeing the smiles on their faces on a daily basis. “I enjoy coming here with you guys. I enjoy doing fist bumps in the morning.” In F-wing, Don greets the “majesties of Mentor High” and his “bodyguards:” Don’s way to pump up students bright and early every day.
Throughout the day, Don travels around the building, engaging with students while also protecting their safety by keeping a watchful eye on their activities. If needed, Don is ready to step in to cool a boiling situation.
Outside of MHS, Don frequents home improvement projects. When he retires, Don predicts he will still keep himself busy on these home improvement projects.
“You’re always in a state of constant learning. Even if you get outta high school, you’re always learning,” Don said, reflecting his constant push to keep himself busy with new projects.
Inspiration for Students
On his phone, Don keeps a record of dozens of quotes he likes to reference to keep himself and those around him inspired, many of which apply to students. In an interview with Cardinal Nation, Don shared quotes of his own.
Of his advice to students, Don talked about the importance of knowledge. For him, learning never ceases: “They can never take away what you know in school. The most powerful thing in life is our thinking, which has the ability to change any situation.”
Being a good person is also very important, allowing you to use the knowledge you learn throughout life. Holding strong in these values, Don said, “Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained, and loyalty is returned.”
Regardless of how things pan out, Don encourages students to keep pushing forward: “If you are thinking positive during negative times, you’ve already won. Don’t go down that hole. Stay up there. ‘Cause things do work out. And they always do and always will.”
“You can’t reach in what’s in front of you until you let go of what’s behind you. Do you ever wonder why a windshield in the car is much bigger than a rear-view mirror?”
For students, Don encourages them to put their best effort into everything, fully confident that they can succeed in whatever they wish to, saying, “As long as you got this, there isn’t anything you can’t do, what your mind can conceive, you will achieve. Don’t ever forget that.”
Don further encourages students to be true to themselves: “Everybody’s success is different. What they want in life. You can’t condone somebody for what they may not want; they’re successful in their own right.”
“Success is a progressive realization of a worthwhile goal or dream.”
Shooting for the stars isn’t beyond the scope of what Don imagines for each and every student. With that thought comes perhaps the most powerful quote Don spoke: “Don’t let anybody tell you that your dreams are not going to happen because theirs didn’t. Yours will. If you want it to. And there’s nothing wrong with having a dream.”
In the essence of Don Basco, life is what you make of it, and you can achieve anything if you work for it. Students, take this advice to heart and live alongside it. Work for the future and live for the now, for dreams big and small have a place in every student’s heart.
