Love Creek’s Michael Thomas is Delaware Mentor of the Month

For Love Creek Elementary Fireman Custodian Michael Thomas, the students are the highlight of his job.

“The smiles I get can really brighten up your day,” he said. “I enjoy the kids. It makes the job worth it. They smile at you and make you happy.”

In addition to performing his job, Thomas mentors fourth-grader Armanti Wilson twice a week. Their favorite activities are playing basketball, building robots and Lego cars, and painting model cars.

Since Thomas works at the school, Armanti can see him any time he needs to, said Love Creek Mentor Coordinator Stacy Moore, who works to match students with adults.

On Feb. 10, Moore was gathered in the school cafeteria with Armanti, administrators and dozens of children to surprise Thomas with the news that he had been named Mentor of the Month for January by the Creative Mentoring program. 

Connecting Generations operates the Creative Mentoring program for adaptation in Delaware schools. Cape launched its program in November 2021. Creative Mentoring Director Tanny Dickerson said more than 100 schools are using the mentoring program this year. 

Thomas is the first Mentor of the Month for the Cape district, Moore said, noting that 31 Love Creek students currently have a mentor.

“The goal is to have a mentor for every child,” said Moore, who nominated Thomas for the award. “We thought he was a good representation of what we want our mentors to be.”

Thomas joined the district as a Sussex Consortium custodian in 2008, where he also mentored a child for 12 years. He was promoted to fire custodian almost a year ago. In this role, he helps the chief custodian monitor the building’s chilled beam HVAC heating and cooling controls, and performs maintenance and upkeep of school grounds and the cafeteria.

To inquire about becoming a mentor at Love Creek Elementary, email Moore at stacy.moore@cape.k12.de.us or call the school officer at 302-703-3456.