This may be Val Redmond’s first year working at Lake Zurich, but not her first roaming the hallways. After graduating in 2011, Redmond now works as the school security guard.

“This school had the most impact on me. The staff really cared about my growth and success here, rather than the two other [high schools] I went to,” Redmond said. “Gretta, [or Mama Love], was a huge inspiration to me when I was a kid. She was caring and pushed me through. I felt like I owed the school a bit to give back.”

Redmond’s arrives at the school at 6am, when she walk through the main doors to start her day.

6:00am – 6:35am

The first task of Redmond’s is to unlock the doors and set the computers up front. When it gets lighter out and she knows cars can see her, Redmond sets up the cones by the senior doors to block off the lane and puts the chain to block the crosswalk, she said.

6:35am – 7:55am

When students and teachers walk through the doors, Redmond is the one who sits and greets everyone. She also watches the camera.

7:55am-10:22am

“I’m always walking,” Redmond said, explaining what she does after the bell rings in the morning. To Redmond, walkthroughs entail checking the bathrooms, hallways, any open doors, and making sure students have passes with them. Walkthroughs are also a time for Redmond to think about things going on in her life.

“I think about everything,” Redmond said. “I keep my focus on what I’m suppose to focus on, but in between that I’m thinking about normal stuff.”

10:22am – 1:33pm

“There is always something going on and I get to interact with the students more,” said Redmond, who spends fourth through seventh period in the cafeteria for duty.

Some students, like Elizabeth Crutchfield, freshman, talks to Redmond at least once a day.

At 12:00pm, Redmond breaks for her thirty minute lunch period. Redmond brings her lunch every time, unless she has her friends bring it.

“I just have caring friends,” Redmond said. “If you care a lot then they care about you and I care about food, so I’m easily pleased.”

The security guards are allowed to take their lunch breaks when they choose, as long as they communicate with one another. Redmond feels she has bonded closely with her coworkers, especially teachers who remember her as being a past student.

1:38pm – 2:30pm

After seventh period, Redmond completes another walkthrough of the school.

“The weirdest thing I found was probably when I found pancakes on the counter in the bathroom,” Redmond said.

After work Redmond enjoys helping her dad coach soccer in Schwaben, Buffalo Grove, or work on her main focus – settling into her new apartment. If Redmond isn’t doing one of those things, she “definitely takes advantage of that to sleep.”

Redmond credits LaGretta Robertson-Haynes as her inspiration to become a security guard.

Q: How do you feel about being Redmond’s inspiration for becoming a security guard?

A: Honored and scared at the same time. Only because like what did I do to make be a security guard? That’s the scary part, but honored because I helped her graduate high school and she became a great person.

Q: What qualities does Redmond have that makes her a good security guard?

A: She’s observant, you have to be observant on this job. And she’s courteous and she’s kind. Hopefully she can motivate the next generation of kids to want to be better citizens and get out of high school.

Elizabeth Crutchfield, freshman, is one of many students who is close to Val.

Q: What was your first impression of Val?

A: She [Val] definitely is relatable because we were talking about my life and her life and it was just so nice and she was just so sweet. You think a security guard would be all violent and mean, but she just has a positive input on everything I told her about.

Q: How often do you see her?

I talk to her at least once a day. I try to make sure I go up to her and say hi. I didn’t see her one time one day and I was just so sad because I talk to her every single day. It could be the littlest things or the biggest. She is such a nice person to talk to and she’s open to talking about anything.

Robert Knuth, history teacher, taught Redmond as a junior in 2009.

Q:  Were you surprised Redmond became a security guard?

A: She’s the kind of person that will work to get better at whatever she’s doing and seek opportunities, she did that in history too. She would always ask a question here and there, and try to do better. So it was a surprise, but not a surprise if that makes sense.