By: Rebecca Broder ‘29
Dwain
After the retirement of longtime and well-loved security guard Mr. Bill Blankson, Berman welcomed two new members to the security team: Dwain Price and Pedro Martinez Rosas. Although they have only been working at Berman since the start of this school year, both say the school already feels like home.
“It’s awesome,” Pedro said. “Berman’s like a family. Everyone’s welcoming to me. It’s always jolly.”
Pedro, who can be seen holding the front door in the morning or offering Boker Tovs and Shabbat Shaloms to students, previously worked as a handyman installing safety rails in apartment buildings up to 53 stories tall in Atlanta and Dallas. The work, he explained, was risky. “I would be dangling from the buildings.”
Not only was this job “fun” and “exciting” for Pedro, but he also mentioned that it helped him get into a safety-first mindset.” The experience, he said, helped him immensely to fulfill his current role as a security guard.
Meanwhile, Dwain has worked a wide variety of occupations throughout his life. He served in the Marine Corps, worked as a private duty nurse, drove buses and a tractor trailer, and worked at Giant Food.
In his work as a private nurse, Dwain cared for elderly patients, some of whom he sadly had to witness pass away. Eventually, his doctor advised him to switch careers stating that it was taking a toll on his emotional well being. This points to Dwain’s deeply empathetic nature, a great trait to have as one responsible for the safety of children.
His connection to Berman, however, actually began through bus driving. After 15 years driving for the Montgomery County public bus service Ride On, Dwain decided he “wanted to work for himself,” bought a charter bus, and entered private transportation. When the pandemic hit, everything stopped.
“I looked around and said there’s nothing moving, what am I gonna do?” he recalled. “So I upgraded my license, and that’s when I started driving my tractor trailer…. I was hauling brand new cars to different dealerships like Mercedes and Chevy.”
Dwain eventually became substitute bus driver for Berman, which led to his becoming a security guard after Mr. Bill’s retirement.
Both guards also have family ties to Berman. Pedro’s mother and father work at the school, which is how he originally learned Hebrew and was introduced to the job. Dwain’s sister-in-law is Bonita Campbell, the middle school administrative assistant. Ms. Campbell asked him to substitute as a bus driver for one day, and the rest is history.
The younger students in particular have quickly bonded with the new security guards. When asked about his experience working with them, Dwain shared, “Before they get on the bus, they wanna give me hugs. I think the most rewarding thing is how much I enjoy being around the kids.”
One admirable goal that Dwain and Pedro share in serving the “Bermunity” is getting to know everyone on a personal basis. “[I want] to learn everyone’s names,” Pedro said. This reflects the legacy of Mr. Bill, who would always greet Berman students by their first name.
As they continue to build connections while keeping Berman safe, their presence marks a new chapter in school security.
