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

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Purdue Fort Wayne Opens New Student Housing Complex

    Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) in Fort Wayne, Ind., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, 600-bed student housing complex on campus, according to a news release.