BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Football season has the ability to bring school communities together.
Whether it's students, parents, or staff, fans do what they can to see the team be successful.
It takes a lot to keep a high school football stadium looking good all season long, and at Boynton Beach Community High School, there's one person who goes above and beyond his job description to make it happen.
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You could call assistant principal Dr. Robert Baker a jack-of-all-trades at Boynton Beach High School. He works night school, monitors dismissal, and makes time to swing by football practice.
"I participated in football and track when I was in high school," Baker said. "I saw the benefit that it helped me, and I wanted to help the coach with the program and do little things to support the program."
Little things that make a big difference, from keeping the bathrooms up to par, to picking up fallen debris, and even fixing the stadium sound system that didn't work for years.
But there's even more that you don't see on the outside.
"Some of it is aesthetics. Some of it is working with the students, the guidance staff, to make sure they are looking at these students, looking at what their grades are, what they can do to make sure they are graduation ready," Baker said.
Baker has been at the school for less than two years, but said the Tiger culture is contagious.
"There’s a sense of pride in the school, in the staff. Very congenial. Want to go the extra mile. And it just rubs off on everybody," Baker said.
And the football players feel the impact.
"Every time I see him, he’s always doing something. Making sure the school is clean. He’s always in the parking lot cleaning up things," runningback Bobby Smith said. "He’s a nice guy to talk to. He’s a cool dude, you know? It's cool to have him here."
Baker even gives kicker Derek Cole a weather report before he hits the field.
"He’ll tell me if it’s windy. He’ll tell me about cross winds and all that and helps me before my games," Cole said.
All of these small actions every day that add up to show someone cares.
"It's just that sense and vibe that makes you feel good, because we’re preparing these young men for the future," Baker said.
The assistant principal added that he could retire, but he's enjoying his time too much as a Boynton Beach Tiger.
