EASTON, Pa .– A good school sitter is responsible for constantly keeping up to date.

And as fast as things move forward at Shawnee Elementary School in Easton, Brenda Hartzell is staying one step ahead. Maybe that’s because the pace Brenda is heading towards is often Bowie.

“You have to have fun,” begins Brenda Hartzell, head of custody.

Brenda started putting on her headphones early in the morning as she started her day.

“Because I cleaned the bathrooms and it makes it go a lot faster, when the music is in your ears,” she explains.

The sounds drifted to first-grade teacher Melanie Salzarulo’s classroom, where it was music to her ears.

“It made a big difference for all of us,” says Melanie.

This past school year has not been easy for anyone in the building. Brenda misses the closeness to the students the most.

“Just to hear the kids talk to you and tell you what they did this weekend and stuff, just be a person to them, you know?” she says.

She used to fight the kids in the cafeteria. Now his crew spends their time deep cleaning it.

But she always manages to plant a smile, wherever she goes.

“She’ll have her music, her 80s stuff and she’ll sing, so happy and you can’t help but be happy in the morning and you hear it,” Melanie smiles.

They’ll all tell you, Brenda doesn’t claim to be a singer by training.

“I can’t sing,” admits Brenda, adding “the kids tell me I need music lessons.”

“I’m not trying to say she’s an opera singer!” laughs Mélanie.

But who needs the perfect tone, when you just know, during a tough year, how to find the right tone.

“In life, you just have to wear your heart on your sleeve, whatever you do. If I wanna be a babysitter I’m gonna be the best out there, ”Brenda says, as she hops into her headphones, and plays David Bowie.

And, singing out of key, there she is.

Brenda Hartzell, our 69 News Golden Apple Award Winner, who has lifted our spirits this year just by starting each day on a positive note.