Amidst the commotion of the hallways, one might hear a chanting of a certain name: “Bill, Bill, Bill.”

Mr. Bill Ruapp, otherwise known to the student body simply as “Bill,” has created quite the name for himself at THS.

“I told myself I wasn’t going to wear a tie, and I definitely wasn’t going to be called sir,” said Ruapp.

He graduated from Kean University in 1999 with a degree in social work. Currently, Ruapp is a school counselor, but he used to be a social worker.

“I hate using the term social worker because of the bad reputation the title has, so I just refer to myself as a counselor. When you say you’re a social worker, people immediately think that you take children away from their bad parents,” he said.

Ruapp is currently employed through the Therapeutic Day Program, which is a school-based program used to address mental health, emotional, and behavioral issues that create a barrier to effective learning.

Besides THS, Ruapp has also worked in schools in Minnesota and New Jersey.

“I actually did try to counsel elementary school students for awhile, and it was not easy. High school students are definitely easier to manage.”

Ruapp works with roughly six students throughout the year that have been referred to him. He also has what he likes to call “floaters.”

“Even though I have students that I work with primarily, there are some students who just stop by to talk. My door is always open,” said Ruapp.

Sophomore Allen Ashcar agreed: “Bill is a really good friend and mentor. He’s here whenever you need him.”

Aside from school counseling, Ruapp is involved with youth ministry, comic book writing, and is a massive fan of “Dragon Ball Z.”

He looks forward to being at THS for as long as he can: “This school is totally different than any other I have been at, but in a good way.”