GERRY ANDRASCO: The man behind Peirce's sparkle and shine

When Gerry Andrasco was hired as head engineer at Peirce this year, he knew he could put his 25 years of school maintenance experience to good use.

Charged with cleaning and maintaining the building and grounds, Andrasco and staff walk the entire campus every morning looking for anything broken, litter and even graffitti.

Along the way, the father of two takes note of snow that needs to be cleared and slick sidewalks that require salt. He and his staff complete all those tasks before the school doors open for the day.

Principal Nancy Mendez recently praised Mr. Andrasco's work.

"Mr. Andrasco does a phenomenal job at keeping Peirce pristine," said Ms. Mendez. "He keeps on top of the snow situation and if I ever see anything that needs addressed, by the time I tell him, usually he has already taken care of it. Mr. Andrasco is a vital part of our operations here at Peirce."

Mr. Andrasco, a CPS employee for more than two dozen years, worked earlier this year with Suzanne Malec-McKenna, a Peirce parent and the City Commissioner for the Environment, to remove and recycle scrap metal from the school. Because the three 30-yard dumpters and two large trucks full of scrap metal were recycled, the school didn't have to pay to get rid of it.

So, the next time you walk down the sparkling and shining halls of Peirce, take a look around and think of Mr. Andrasco.