Think about the stereotypical security guard at the mall or the movie theatre or school. Can you picture it? An ex-military middle-aged man with a tapered haircut, wielding large biceps but an even larger beer belly. A man using the job as a security guard only to be a dominant, aggressive person while also getting paid. The kind of person that no student would dare greet kindly in the hallway and is seen with a large scowl enveloping his face, no matter the weather. Keeping the school “safe” by instilling fear into the students under his authority.

However, Camas High School’s security staff is quite the contrary.

Sean Tamura, one of Camas’ security officers, works hard to create a safe, welcoming, and fun atmosphere at the school. Often he can be found throughout the day patrolling the school grounds, keeping an eye out for any suspicious or mischevious behavior.

While it is only his third year working here at Camas, he has made a large impact. Roaming through the hallways throughout the school day, he greets everyone who approaches him. He is a very welcoming person and greets the football players, theatre kids, upper and lower classmen with the same smile.

Tamura grew up in Hood River, Oregon. As a child, he played hockey as well as taekwondo, and during high school, he played tennis for his high school. He says he was “an awkward kid with a good group of friends who were mostly linemen on the football team”. Following high school, he went to Oregon State University and earned a bachelors degree in applied exercise science and a minor in psychology.

Eventually, he met a girl from Camas and decided that it would be easier to live closer to her, so he moved to Camas. He saw that CHS was looking for a security job so he applied and got the job. Three years later he is still here, doing the same job.

Some of the most enjoyable parts of the job are being able to be around high school kids all day and forming relationships with people. Along with that, he says that the security team is “a fun group of people to be around and to work with”. He helps students with different issues, such as finding stolen items as well as keeping the school safe and making sure that students are following the school’s rules.

On the other hand, some aspects of the job are not as pleasing. Tamura says that his least favorite part of the job is when he’s prompted to do gross things like help to “clean up something gross that spilled or throw up”. However, the better parts of the job compensate for times like these.

Thanks to Tamura and the rest of the fantastic security team, Camas continues to be a safe school where students can learn without the fear of being harmed. Next time you see Tamura keeping an eye around the school, greet him and show your appreciation.