A custodian for Hot Springs County School District in Thermopolis, Andrew Ennis cares about providing a clean space for teachers and staff and a clean, healthy learning environment for students.
“I am proud of the work I do,” Andrew told WEA News. “I am proud of the accomplishment I feel after I leave the room clean and ready for the teachers, staff, and students.”
Andrew has been in the cleaning industry for ten years and a school custodian for six. Despite his many years of career experience, he’s relatively new to the WEA family. Andrew joined WEA in 2022 and opted to run to serve on the Association’s Board, taking office as Northwest Region Representative in July of this year.
“I joined WEA because the more people I met who are a part of the Association, the more I realized that they are my people,” said Andrew. “I care about the staff and students in education and know the work WEA does for them, which made me love the Association even more. WEA gives us a voice in our arena, and it’s a community that cares for everyone.”
Through his leadership role in the Association, Andrew is working to improve public schools for students and all education employees, especially his fellow Education Support Professionals. “ESPs are important because they make the wheels turn in the school,” Ennis told WEA News, “they bring a bright light, a clean space, food to everyone who needs it, and a safe space. They are everyday heroes in our schools.”
Andrew wants to ensure that his Association work helps ESPs know their worth and helps them to receive—and really feel—thanks and respect for their work. He wants to give ESPs a unified voice to help shape their working conditions and students’ learning conditions.
“I want to thank the WEA staff, said Andrew, “the board and all the members, for seeing the potential I have to strengthen the Association. I feel respected and empowered to keep working hard and sharing what WEA is all about. I will keep working hard and sharing what I learn to grow my leadership so that I can help even more!”
