School custodians play a vital role in creating a successful learning environment—inside and outside the classroom. However, their extensive schedules and strenuous duties often go unnoticed. To honor exceptional school custodians, Cintas Corp. has launched its 12th annual Custodian of the Year contest and is seeking nominations from the public through Feb. 7.
“Beyond cleaning and maintenance, school custodians often make our schools and universities feel like home,” said Emily Ramos, director of marketing at Cintas. “For more than a decade, we’ve been inspired by countless incredible stories of custodians going above and beyond, and we’re thrilled to continue honoring them as we celebrate the 12th year of this contest.”
Cintas will award $10,000 to the winning custodian and $5,000 in Cintas and Rubbermaid products and services to the winner’s school. The winner’s school will also receive a complete facility assessment and Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) Advanced certification by GBAC from ISSA, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, valued at $20,000.
The other nine finalists will receive $1,000 each from Cintas, a cleaning supply package from Rubbermaid, and complimentary tuition to one ISSA Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) virtual training event valued at $1,500. The top three finalists will also receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to the ISSA Show North America in Las Vegas in November, where they’ll be celebrated for their accomplishments.
“Creating healthy and inspiring learning environments wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of custodians,” said John Barrett, executive director of ISSA.
Last year, Cintas awarded Bob Galewski of Wabasha-Kellogg High School in Wabasha, Minn., the 2024 Cintas Custodian of the Year.
The annual contest is open to all elementary, middle, high school, college, and university custodians who have worked at their school for at least two years. Nominations must be 500 words or less on why the nominee deserves the award and must be submitted by Feb. 7. Cintas will announce the top 10 finalists on March 4. The public will then be able to vote for their favorite custodian through April 11, and the finalist with the most votes will be crowned Custodian of the Year in the spring.
The public can submit their nominations here.