At 47 years old, Mike Heintzelman is one of the popular kids at West Fargo High School.

Students say they adore the longtime custodian, and the feeling is mutual for Heintzelman, who attends as many West Fargo athletic games as he can.

";He kids around with them, and they kid him back,"; said Activities Director Curt Jones. ";It's almost like he's one of them.";

Heintzelman has been looking forward to today - West Fargo's first day of school - so he can reunite with returning students and start learning the names of freshmen.

";It's always fun to see the kids,"; he said.

After football games and wrestling matches, senior Chris Lundberg often chats with Heintzelman while he's working evenings.

Heintzelman always has words of encouragement for the athletes, said Lundberg, 17.

";He really connects with the kids,"; he said.

Last year Heintzelman took vacation time so he could cheer on the wrestling team at the state tournament in Bismarck.

";The kids are fantastic to me, so I figured I'd repay them,"; Heintzelman said.

Angie Lund, who coached the Packatahnas dance team until last year, said Heintzelman always goes out of his way to motivate the participants.

";He is their cheerleader,"; Lund said.

The dancers value Heintzelman's opinion on their routines, and he gives them honest feedback, she said.

Senior Jessie Mattern, the team's head choreographer, said the Packatahnas consider him part of the family.

Last year they made him a Packatahnas shirt, and he wore it to the TV party that saluted their national championship win.

";He's not just a janitor, he's the cool janitor that everyone likes,"; Mattern said.

In his 13th year as custodian, Heintzelman said he loves his job and plans to work for the school district until he retires.

It's impossible to learn every name of the 1,500 or so students, but Heintzelman says he learns most.

Senior Adam Lynnes said he tries to talk each day to Heintzelman, who usually has a joke for him.

Heintzelman has a prosthetic arm because of a 1976 machinery accident. He calls it ";an inconvenience"; and says it doesn't affect his ability to do his job.

The prosthesis, which has a hook at the end, is often the subject of good-natured jokes between Heintzelman and the students, he said.

";They joke with me, and I give it right back,"; he said.

When he's not at work, Heintzelman enjoys golfing, a sport he took up in 2001.

Though he uses one arm, Heintzelman is known around the school to be a good golfer, said Jones.

";They say I am (good), but I don't think I am,"; Heintzelman said.

At the end of each school year, he's flooded with invitations to graduation parties. Heintzelman tries to attend most parties, and gives cards to the students whose parties he can't make.

";Graduations are hard,"; Heintzelman said. ";You get to know them for four years and it gets tough.";

Readers can reach Forum reporter Amy Dalrymple at (701) 241-5590