Bhupendra with Class '14 senior girls, left to right: Audrey Leland, Lena Youness and Riley Henderson
Among the farewells and final moments that underscored the end of their senior year, one goodbye was particularly poignant for the Class of 2014 to bid. Access Control Officer Bhupendra Patel has been an integral part of student life at ASL since he joined the staff in 1998. Greeting students and parents at Waverley Place Reception every morning, he knows hundreds of kids who have come and gone from our school community. But Bhupendra had a special relationship with the 2014 seniors because he has known several of them since they were K1 and K2 children. “They’re nice people,” he explained shortly after their graduation. That’s why, in their last week of school, Bhupendra presented them with graduation gifts: homemade ASL ID cards collaged with school photos and the name of the university they will attend. The project took him three months to complete, and the seniors were incredibly touched. Proudly wearing their ID badges at their graduation rehearsal, the students, in turn, gave Bhupendra a poster that they had all signed with notes of gratitude. “Thank you for being my school protector for the past 14 years!” wrote Riley Henderson ’14. “Bhup, I love you,” penned several students. The poster remained on display at WPR for several days, serving as a testament to Bhupendra’s wonderful, steadfast service to everyone at ASL, and the high regard in which he holds the students under his care. “My favorite part of the job is greeting people,” he said, adding that the seniors “…promised me they would visit.” Come back soon, Class of 2014! We look forward to welcoming your return to campus.