Second Annual 'Custodians Are Key' Contest Seeks Nominations

Tennant Company, a manufacturing and marketing solutions based company in the cleaning industry, launched the second annual Custodians Are Key campaign. The eight-month campaign recognizes the work of K-12 custodians across the country and honors them and their school with a $15,000 prize package. The program launched September 15 and concludes on May 14, 2021.

“We were overwhelmed by the positive response to our first Custodians are Key campaign,” Lisa Hrpcek, Marketing Manager at Tennant Company said in a press release. “The quality of candidates was amazing – clearly many custodians are making huge differences in their schools. Now, with the additional challenges brought on by the pandemic, the need for clean facilities has never been more important. And that makes our custodians even more critical to the health of their schools and their students. We are excited to build off last year’s successful program to honor these valuable front-line workers.”

The first round of nominations is open until November 15. Twelve finalists will be chosen and will receive a $500 gift card. Tennant will select a grand prize winner from the finalists pool. 

Tennant seeks nominations of school custodians who are making their schools better. Teachers, administrators, and parents are encouraged to nominate a custodian by filling out this form. A panel of judges from Tennant will select finalists and winners based on the quality of the nomination and the impact the custodian has made at their school. 

Kris Kantor, custodian at Hayes Elementary in Lakewood, Ohio, was awarded the grand prize this past June. Kantor was one of 2,000 nominees during the inaugural program.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

  • California District Debuts New High-School CTE Center

    The West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new CTE Center at Analy High School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) for the facility’s design and GCCI for its construction, and funding came from local Measure A bond funds.

  • Houston-Area High School Receives Best Project Award from ENR

    Tomball West High School near Houston, Texas, recently received a K–12 Education Best Project Award in Engineering News-Record’s 2026 Texas & Southeast Best Projects Awards, according to a press release. The new facility was completed in May and opened its doors to students for the fall 2026 semester.

  • Growing Allied Health Workforce Demands Fueling Greater Need for Higher Education Facilities

    With the demand for healthcare professionals at an all-time high, colleges and universities are challenged with supporting the workforce demands in their own communities. Careers in allied health generally require specific training and/or certification, with some positions requiring degrees, certified credentials, and continuing education.