What do umbrellas, deodorant, drum sticks, and doughnut makers all have in common? They all at one point belonged to fellow West High students, but now they make themselves at home in the Lost and Found. The WSS decided to investigate the underrated gem that is the Lost and Found.

The Lost and Found’s existence is no secret; however, students seem to seldom visit. Lisa Greenberg, the unofficial guardian of the Lost and Found said students visit about three times a week. “That depends on if it’s a phone or something, then they come back everyday. I guess it depends on what it
is…This kind of stuff on the bottom has been here forever…”

The bottom of the Lost and Found  encompasses keys, glasses, two whole boxes of water bottles and other odds and ends.

Looking through the items, Greenberg said, “I’m thinking it might have to be this [Transylvania doll], That’s the weirdest thing I have seen, I mean I am new this year so for me that’s the weirdest thing, I haven’t seen anything else stranger than that. I love it.”  

Apart from the strange toy, there are drumsticks, sweatshirts, two boxes of water bottles,  and even pants left behind for their owners to reclaim, if they ever get around to it.

“Sometimes I don’t know how people lose a pair of shoes, like you have no shoes on and you’re walking around and you don’t know?” Melissa Morley, the West Wing Office Secretary said. 

West students lose a lot of things all over the school and according to Greenberg everyone is responsible for compiling the Lost and Found. Including the custodians.

Mike O’Connor, the head custodian for West, finds more than anyone. “We find all kinds of things. We find sports people leave stuff in the gym, weight room, locker rooms, on the floor in the hallway; and they can be anything from shoes to their jersey to their uniform to their sweats,” O’Connor said.   

Athletes aren’t the only ones leaving things behind. “Most students [lose] backpacks and lunch[es], a lot of stuff is just left in the hallway by their locker or on top of the locker. Sometimes people actually throw things away on accident and we try to help them go through the dumpster in the back,” he said. “My guys we all take them to the office and then they try to track down the person who it was. That’s [the] procedure we have, and hopefully it works.”

The established procedure seems to be a success, at least it has not failed for Sierra Frost ‘18. “I’m looking for my notebook,” Frost said.  “Oh sweet,” she said after finding it, “All my math stuff is in here so I haven’t done math for two days.” Frost leaves with her newly recovered notebook in hand. From the looks of that, the Lost and Found seems to be serving its purpose: reuniting students with their lost possessions.