Nominate Your Favorite Custodian for "Custodians Are Key" Contest

Tennant Company, a leader in the cleaning industry, announced the launch of Custodians Are Key, a contest to recognize the work of K-12 custodians around the country and honors them and their school with a $15,000 prize. The contest started on Sept. 9 and will run until May 6, 2020.  

“We all know the important role school custodians play in the cleanliness of their schools, but day-to-day, they each make a difference in the lives of students, staff and teachers through personal connections or even a simple friendly smile,” Lisa Kingsley, Channel Marketing Manager, Tennant Company said in a press release. “We wanted to recognize these custodians who make schools a happier, healthier and safer place to learn and work.”

Tennant is looking for nominations of school custodians who are making their schools better, going above and beyond their daily jobs, and showing students and staff they care.

The way the contest works: Three custodians will be chosen as finalists each quarter during the 8-month long contest. The finalists receive a $500 gift card and will have a chance to win a grand prize in May. The winner receives a prize valued at $5,000 while their school receives $10,000. A committee of judges from Tennant will select finalists based on the quality of the nomination and the impact of the custodian makes on their school.

Here are the deadlines to submit nominations for each quarter.

Round 1: Open September 9 – November 1. Finalists will be notified November 15.
Round 2: Open November 2 – January 3, 2020. Finalists will be notified January 17, 2020.
Round 3: Open January 4 – March 4, 2020. Finalists will be notified March 18, 2020.
Round 4: The final round of nominations opens March 5, 2020 and closes April 29, 2020.

The 12 finalists will be considered for the grand prize and the winner will be notified May 20.

To learn more about the Custodians Are Key program, watch this video. Visit tennantco.com/custodian to submit your nomination.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Montclair State University Debuts New VR Facility

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently announced the completion of a new virtual reality learning facility developed in partnership with Dreamscape Learn, according to a news release. The 2,450-square-foot lab space is inside the College of Communication and Media building and will serve students pursuing careers in digital media, virtual reality, and content creation.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • California High School Opens New Classroom Building for 7th-, 8th-Graders

    Santa Rosa City Schools in Santa Rosa, Calif., recently announced the completion of a new classroom building for Piner High School. As the campus transitions to a Junior/Senior High School, the facility will play home to the school’s new population of seventh- and eighth-grade students.