Middle School Custodian to be Deployed to Afghanistan

Avon Middle School honored one of its own in an assembly Friday to show support for him as he prepares for his U.S. Army Reserves deployment to Afghanistan in the near future.

Manny Rivera is known locally as one of the middle school night custodians, but he is also a sergeant in the Army Reserves. He leaves Oct. 12 for training in Fort Hood, TX and will sent to Afghanistan at a future date.

He was recognized in front of the entire student body and when Principal Marco Famiglietti announced him, many of the kids were chanting, "USA! USA!"

"As a school community, it's important that our kids see that one of our own staff members is being deployed into a war zone," Famiglietti said.

Famiglietti said that Rivera and his unit overseas will have the support of all 600 students and 100 staff members at the middle school for the duration of their deployment. The school plans to send them care packages periodically.

Rivera also had the opportunity to address the students and thanked the school community for all its support.

"Like Arnold said, I'll be back," he said.