Elementary School Community Celebrates 77-Year-Old Custodian With First Ever Birthday Party

Jul 21, 2022 by apost team

Frances Buzzard, the 77-year-old custodian for Belle Elementary School in West Virginia, is so much more than a janitor in the eyes of her young students. Going above and beyond any standard or sense of duty, Buzzard goes out of her way to perform her tasks and create a welcoming learning environment at the school. She polishes the furniture until it shines like a mirror and, more importantly, sets an excellent example of a strong work ethic for the children.

After watching their invaluable Ms. Buzzard perform her duties for years without complaint, it was obvious to the staff and students that this woman was an integral part of Belle Elementary. Almost serendipitously, the community then found the perfect opportunity to thank this unstoppable woman for her sacrifice.

Through a bit of schoolyard gossip, Buzzard's colleagues learned that their beloved Ms. Buzzard had never had a birthday party. So it was decided that they would change that immediately. 

One unsuspecting day, “Ms. Frances"- as she was known by the students and staff- heard her name being called over the loudspeakers, instructing her to proceed to the school cafeteria. Since there was an assembly going on at the time, she figured they needed her to clean something up.

However, as she walked through the doors to the room, more than 200 students yelled, “Surprise!” A voice then came over the speaker system. "Happy birthday, Miss Francis. We know it's next week, but you won't be here. So we're celebrating today."  

Everyone cheered ecstatically as Ms. Francis took a seat surrounded by her loving students. The birthday girl was then draped with a celebratory sash and a pink tiara as the kitchen crew wheeled out a cart brimming with sweet treats, topped, of course, with big "77" candles.

"We found out from the head cook, who had spoken to Miss Francis, that she has never had a birthday party," said Amanda Mays, the Belle Elementary principal who helped mastermind the long-overdue party. "She turns seventy-seven on January 30th and we thought the opportunity couldn't pass us by." 

The clandestine celebration was set in motion. "We just put a generic 'assembly' on the schedule for (that) week." The students were then gathered, and all that was left to do was wait for the unsuspecting Ms. Francis to walk through the door. "She has no idea," said Mays. "We'll be in the cafeteria. But she doesn't really know why." 

After the birthday girl arrived, she was then treated to a slideshow of her life. Photo after photo scrolled by, with photoshopped pictures of Frances appearing Forest Gump style at different scenes throughout history. The cheeky pics showed Frances rocking out at Woodstock and even hanging out with Neil Armstrong on the moon. 

Teary-eyed, Ms. Francis watched as several students held up handwritten cards that they had made her. "I never had nothing like this," she said, delighted. Frances told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that she grew up poor. She never had an actual birthday party, nor did her family celebrate Christmas. She said that when they could afford it, they would give the kids nuts and fruit, but that was it. "I've never had nobody do this for me," she admitted. The gesture of community and kindness is something none of the attendees will ever forget. 

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