Random Acts of Daily Kindness
By Alexander Grillo
Do you say thank you when someone holds a door open for you? Do you hold the door for others when people are behind you? Would you hold a door for 2000+ people on a daily basis?
Meet CHS Senior, Luke Santiago. You may not know him by name, but you’ve probably seen his face holding the front door at CHS every morning.
What began as one moment of kindness for a few of his fellow students turned into an opportunity to meet more of his classmates, because let’s face it, it’s not easy to meet the entire student body in a school as large as CHS.
The hustle and bustle of getting to class is a challenge for anyone in a building that houses over 2500 students and staff. Back in November of 2021, Luke, aka the CHS “Doorman,” noticed students with crutches and injuries or students with special needs struggling to open the door upon entering the building in the morning and decided to help. One day’s good deed turned into a week, a month, and eventually became part of his morning routine.
“Eventually, I just kept holding open the doors. And now I do it because I can meet my friends and help people,” explained Luke.
Luke’s morning job generally begins at 6:50 am and continues until just before homeroom or if he becomes too cold.
“It’s a job where you have to be aware and make sure you know if someone is coming in or out,” he continued.
And as it turns out, kindness seems to be contagious. Since Luke began holding the door, other students have stepped up to fill in when he is unable to be there.
According to Luke something as simple as holding the door “Helped connect with the school community and forge new relationships.”
Luke’s drive to help others doesn’t end at the door. He is currently in the Pre-Med club and plans to attend William Paterson University in the fall to study nursing.
