It was pouring rain on the morning of Friday, October 21st, when I walked down to meet Priscilla Brito at the security post at the Upper School. Brito, who has been a security guard at the Fieldston campus for nearly four years, was standing in the rain, greeting drivers and directing cars without a hat or an umbrella. She was soaked by the time she got back to the security hut to meet me for our interview.
Brito gave me a big smile, and before I could ask my first question, she let me know how much she loves Fieldston.
“It gets very busy, and hectic, but I love what I do –– it’s killer, though, as you can see,” Brito told me as she hopped out of her post into the storm as a new car pulled up to the arch.
Before working at Fieldston, Brito ran her own daycare center, God’s Creation, in Kissimmee, Florida. But when the market crashed in 2008, she lost her business and decided to come back to New York. Born and raised on 238th street, Fieldston was very close to home. “I grew up here,” said Brito, laughing. “This neighborhood is part of me.”
Two years ago, Priscilla Brito was assigned to the post in front of the main office on the Fieldston Upper School Campus. Before that she worked for security in the Lower School, but, Brito explained she, “got a little bored.”
“At the Upper School Campus you have to be on your tippy toes all day. You’re very busy –– interacting with people, signing people in and out, logging in names – there are a whole bunch of things it entails,” said Brito. At the Upper School, Brito’s job is security and administration, patrolling visitors and communicating with the staff in the main office. “I like working at the Upper School, and they saw I did a good job, so I’ve been here ever since,” said Brito.
A typical day as a Fieldston security guard begins at 7:30am and goes until 4pm. Brito oversees all the arrivals, logging them into the security records, and welcomes faculty, parents, students and prospective students. During the summer, she works from 8am to 3pm, and on some weekends throughout the year, she works overtime. “It’s a lot, but it’s fun. I love it,” Brito told me. She gets two 15 minute breaks during the day, and a 30 minute lunch break. “I usually eat at Fieldston –– the food is delicious,” Brito said smiling. “But sometimes I take my car to Salvatore’s Pizza; I love it there, too.”
Love was a dominant theme in our conversation.
“I love working at Fieldston because the people are very amicable, courteous, kind and helpful,” Brito told me. “I just love the way I feel here –– it’s very welcoming.” Despite this love for her work at Fieldston, Brito envisions one day starting her own business again. “I’ve had managing experience since 2001. I have an associate’s degree, but I want to get a bachelor’s degree. I’m here temporarily, but I’m here because I really like it,” Brito stated. “But there is nothing better than being your own boss.”
When asked if there was anything Brito did not like about Fieldston, she said, “Well, to be honest with you, the pay could be a little better, but that’s not on Fieldston, that’s on Mulligan.” Mulligan is the security corporation that employs the guards at Fieldston. Mulligan pays the guards, and Fieldston pays Mulligan.
Brito’s job has given her an interesting view of the Fieldston community. When I asked for her perspective, Brito said, “Not everything is very ethical. I’ve confronted some situations that do not seem to fit with the school’s mission.” When pushed for details, Brito smiled but refused to tattle. Instead, she emphasized the things she admires about Fieldston. “For the most part, parents are very united,” she said. “I like the way that parents become a part of their children’s educational life. They are very, very involved, and I love that. Not all parents do that for their kids –– it is truly amazing. Whenever there is some sort of special event, whether it is a game, a dance, a concert, anything, the parents are always there.” Brito also commended the Fieldston teachers’ and students’ continuous hard work and dedication. “Unity brings power, and education is power,” Brito said. “The Fieldston community seems to have a real understanding of that.”
