The boy’s gym locker room is never left unattended. One will always find a man wearing a red collared shirt roaming the perimeter- a man who is often associated with the alarming sounds of jangling keys and walkie-talkies. The typical reflexes of taking a hat off or justifying a hall pass are not prompted by all security officers; the initial reaction to some “red shirts” is a sincere handshake.

“I’m a people person. It doesn’t matter if you’re young, your size or race doesn’t matter. I’m a fair minded person and I always want to treat all people how I want to be treated. And I get a chance to demonstrate that,” Niles West security guard Gene Allison said.

The 55-year-old native of Akron, Ohio is characterized by his communicative demeanor and social personality.

“He always tried to talk to me on a personal level. I always had my earbuds in and sometimes I look really mad, so he always asked if I’m okay. One thing that separates him from the rest of the security guards is that he always told me to have a good day. And not just to me, but to every student,” 2017 alumna Sana Kadir said.

Positive, lively, and eager to meet new people, Allison can be found in the hallways or locker rooms of Niles West High School. Despite being at work, he always finds a way to make things interesting by connecting with his colleagues, students,  and teachers.

“I feel like relationships can develop in all types of environments, even in security. I still try to be effective with what I do, and kids need to understand that they need to follow the rules. I try to be the fairest I can when it comes to pushing that,” Allison said.

Students share a nearly unanimous opinion on security guards. They are authoritarian, confrontational, and take their jobs too seriously. However, according to former Niles West director of security Brent Fowler, not all security guards are created equal.

“I think Gene is a very, very good security officer for a couple of reasons. He’s able to handle the interactions with students in a very positive and proactive way. He has a positive way in which to approach people, and he’s very friendly and outgoing,” Fowler said. “Yet, he knows clearly what his directions are and how to handle them. But he handles [them] appropriately. In security, telling people no doesn’t make them happy. He’s able to turn a negative reaction into a positive one.”

Although Allison has always worked in security, there are other things he excels at. Before his wife brought him to Chicago in 1995,  he had already established his love for wrestling. He began in 7th grade when a classmate asked him to join the school’s team, and it was a passion that lasted through his college years.

“I felt like half the reason I was in school was for sports. It took me all the way to California,” Allison said. “It was fun while it lasted.”

His passion for the sport reached a milestone in 2015 when he earned his ASEP certification and began volunteer coaching for the wrestling team at Niles West.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I was able to follow through with that and get my certification,” Allison said.

Being a well-liked security guard and an experienced wrestling coach are two achievements that are not customarily mixed. The uniqueness of Allison’s character is rooted in his unquenchable thirst for self-improvement.

Twenty years of Allison’s life were spent struggling against negativity. His struggle against drug and alcohol abuse was no easy task, and it was a battle that his wife Melanie supported him through. The realization that his decisions were harming his family and his own well-being sparked a change in him.

“One thing that motivated me to start living better was that the way I was living wasn’t making me feel good inside. I knew it was wrong, but I got caught up with some things. Doing things such as drugs, drinking, I got caught up with it. The only way I was able to get a hold of things were my inside feelings telling me I’d eventually kill myself and die in this pitifulness,” Allison said. “Knowing that I’m getting older and that the time is running out for me to redeem myself, I was finally able to get a hold of everything. It was a spiritual awakening, and I was able to get on track and stay on track. I became more of a blessing to my family. If we can’t take care of ourselves, we can’t take care of the people around us. I wanted to be a priority for me, my wife, and kids.” 

However, he never could have made this change without the guidance of his firm spiritual belief system. He believes that his faith is what shaped his people-loving personality, and that it lifted him from his struggles against substance abuse. Without it, Allison thinks change would have been much harder.

“I’m a Baptist, and I’m baptized in the name of Jesus. My faith gives me more energy to stay on the straight arrow, so I can do what’s right, even when there’s nobody around. I want to make the right decisions because I’ve been in the dark. I’ve been places and did things I knew were wrong, but being saved gave me a second chance. I walk and talk a different way, and I’m more excited about my existence now,” Allison said.

Religion and family play a big role in his life, and his three children are currently pursuing their dreams in Mississippi. His step-daughter Anita is a teacher there, and his son Elijah is at Jackson State University. His son Michael lives in Mississippi as well.

Apart from the responsibilities he has towards his own kids, he still feels responsible for the students at Niles West. He particularly enjoys developing relationships with athletes, mainly because he used to be one himself. One of his favorite things to do at Niles West is watching athletes that he has made friends with compete. He gets a kick out of the soccer games and loves watching the football team.

Lots of his free time is spent watching professional wrestling, MMA fighting, and any other tough, personal sport. He is an uncommitted Cubs fan (like most other Chicagoans), but has never abandoned his Akron, Ohio roots; he shares his hometown with 3x NBA Champion and 4x NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, and is eager to root for Cleveland’s small forward.

“I love him! He brought that ring home. I like him because he does so much for the community, and he’s a family man. He does a lot for other people,” Allison said.

The story of Gene Allison is the story of growth and positive change. He is the epitome of a man who loves his job and all the experiences it comes with. Everything started when he decided he was going to turn his life around.

“[Working at Niles West] uplifted me and made me more appreciative of my opportunity to get myself together. If I hadn’t, I would never be able to get this job,” he said. “By me being true and being committed to my sobriety I’m able to make the impact and stick with what I’m doing.”

Now in his second term as a security guard at Niles West, he looks forward to a future of more positive transformations with students and faculty alike.  

“I will always believe that people have good inside. I love these kids, man. That’s pure and simple. That’s how I feel,” Allison said. “It’s on these kids to make our future. If you can encourage a kid in the right way, and change his thinking in a non-aggressive way where he can embrace it and make an effort to change, you can change the future. We gotta fight the good fight. We’re all in this together.”

If you see him in the halls, shake his hand and introduce yourself. You will meet a quality security guard, and an even better friend.