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29 March 2024

How many superheroes does it take to clean up a Dubai school?

Published
By Sneha May Francis

Students of American International School in Al Qusais were in for a wonderful surprise this week, when they found their favourite superheroes literally hanging outside their school windows.

And, they were there not to fight the baddies, but to give their school a swanky makeover.

Students eagerly watched their superheroes indulge in an activity unheard of in their crusades before as they scrubbed their school windows earnestly.

Armed with water and detergent, Spiderman, Batman and Superman used their “superpowers” differently this time round.

Designed by Spider Access, a Gulf-based specialist building operator, the project was conducted free of cost, and was part of a community initiative that aimed at educating and entertaining students innovatively.

“They were awesome… epic,” gushed nine-year-old Mohammed.

But, some, like eight-year-old Ahmed were upset that Iron Man was eliminated from this superhero gang.

That minor oversight, however, didn’t go unnoticed by Kevin Williams, operations director at Spider Access, who claimed he’d revise their superhero recruitment plan for the next cleaning escapades.

“We have to expand our superhero recruitment policy to include Iron Man!”

That slip-up aside, the kids were thoroughly entertained by the cleaning antics of their superheroes.

“Most students were stunned as it’s (clearly) not an everyday occurrence,” he elaborated.

“It certainly created a buzz and we hope that we didn’t disrupt lessons too much.”

 Kevin explained that the superhero theme was designed after consulting parents, who felt children would be entertained and educated at the same time.

“We wanted to bring a unique blend of fun and uniqueness to the service. It was also a means of drawing attention and educating children about how such activities are carried out.”

After the incredible response at the American International School, Kevin and his team are planning to take their superhero exercise to other schools.

Although such activities are high-risk, Kevin insisted that they adhere to top safety standards.

The school run, however, posed a major threat. “I think the biggest risk we had was from the swarms of children wanting to see the superheroes,” he kidded.

The team, which provides cleaning services for tall towers, is hoping to carry out similar projects in the community.

“We think it’s important to be able to give back to society and schools are the most essential institutions in any community,” Kevin added.

And for the many who missed out on the superhero action, fret not. The masked crusaders will be back in your neighbourhood. Just look out of your windows, and wait for the action to unfold.