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

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Opportunity by Design Framework

    Opportunity by Design

    Educational improvement efforts often focus on curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development, and intervention systems while treating the physical school building as background. But school design is not a passive backdrop to learning — it is a structural lever for equity.