Walking through A Building, you might see a strange sight: Students crowded around a tiny table with a security guard, staring at a computer screen and eating lunch. At first, you might  think the students are in trouble, but upon a closer look you’d find it’s just the opposite.

 What you really see is Mohamad Makhlouf (known around H-F as Coach Moe), sitting with a group of students watching football film and Moe, helping students with homework.

Coach Moe is a security guard and coach. As a coach, he leads freshman football and men’s JV swimming and diving. He also coaches the United football league outside of H-F, which is a minor league team.

Coach Moe’s experience as a foster child and football player influences Moe’s decision to pay it forward and help students succeed.

“As a kid, I was a troubled youth and had lots of issues,” Coach Moe said. “I relied on football to be my backbone and keep me straight, like in a straight arrow, and keep my head on.  [I wanted to] get my grades done right. Because I saw football lead to [my academic] success, I wanted to give [back] to the younger generation,” Moe reflected.

Moe is not only helping students, but he’s also lending a helping hand to the staff in A Building by offering teachers bathroom breaks and making copies. 

According to English teacher Kona Burks, “I’ve never asked him to make copies for me, but he does always ask me if there is anything I need. He offers to help.”

English teacher Daniel Bush confirmed Burks’ comments. “Moe is a consistent presence, walking around the halls,” Bush said. “There have been times where I’ve had to go make copies and he’s like ‘hold on, I’ll go watch your room for two minutes.’”

To summarize, Moe goes above and beyond his security guard role because he understands the power of having a role model. 

To Moe, “you always need somebody to be your backbone to rely on or just to tell the great things [to].¨ 

Sometimes, according to Moe, it is just important to have somebody ¨to pick up the phone and say hey, I need help.¨

So when you pass Moe working with a student, remember that it isn’t just fun and games: he’s helping students with their homework or showing them extra support.

One student who has received such help is freshman Bakuwali Diabor.

¨[Moe] does study tables and also during lunch he does film sessions [for football],” Diabor said.  

It’s helped students with maintaining good grades while still doing their sport.

“I feel like I would struggle but [Moe] most definitely helps me keep my grades in check,”  Diabor added. “[Moe] helped keep me on track, taught me the importance of deadlines, and how to take responsibility of doing work and turning it in on time.¨ 

Everywhere in the world are people who reach out to those in need. At H-F, Coach Moe is one of those people!