School custodians are working harder than ever to provide a safe and healthy learning environment amid the Covid pandemic. With that in mind, Cintas Corporation has announced the top 10 finalists in its ninth-annual Custodian of the Year contest.
From stopping a burglar in their tracks and securing a school before staff or students arrived, to taking extra time to make sure students are celebrated for their accomplishments, the top 10 finalists emulate what it means to be extraordinary. From now through April 15, the public is encouraged to vote for their favorite custodian.
“We received over 2,200 exceptional nominations, and it was a challenge to narrow it down to only 10 finalists,” said Christiny Betsch, Marketing Manager, Cintas. “This contest continues to prove that custodians play a significant role in school communities across the country and have lasting, positive impacts on students and staff.”
The greatest number of public votes will determine the winner of the 2022 Custodian of the Year contest. The winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize along with $5,000 in products and services for his or her school from Cintas and Rubbermaid Commercial Products. The winner’s school will also receive a training, development, and consulting package from ISSA, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, valued at $30,000 and enrollment in the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Fundamentals Online Course. An additional nine finalists will receive $1,000 each on behalf of Cintas and complimentary tuition to one ISSA Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) training event, valued at $1,500.
“This is our third year sponsoring the contest and we continue to be inspired by the hard work and dedication of the top 10 finalists,” said John Barrett, Executive Director, ISSA. “Custodians are such positive role models at schools and truly leave a lasting impression for those they work with. We’re thankful to be a part of this contest and to help give recognition to the top 10 finalists.”
The top 10 finalists in the 2022 Custodian of the Year contest are (alphabetical order):
- Rigoberto (Rigo) Bedolla – Las Animas Elementary School, Gilroy, CA
- Becky Burkhart – Chadwick School, Chadwick, MO
- Gerald Carter – Pike Road Elementary School, Pike Road, AL
- Frank DiPaolo – Washington Irving Elementary School, Oak Park, IL
- Lydell Henderson – Presidential Park Elementary School, Middletown, NY
- Ilka Jenkins – Bricker Elementary School, Colorado Springs, CO
- Raymond Johnson – Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
- James Lewis – Beltsville Academy, Beltsville, MD
- David (Dave) Martin – Whitebead Public School, Pauls Valley, OK
- Louis (Lou) McCullen – Pohatcong Township School, Phillipsburg, NJ
“We’re honored to be part of recognizing the best custodians across the country and wish all finalists the best of luck,” shared Robert Posthauer, Sr. Vice President Sales and Marketing, Rubbermaid Commercial Products.
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite school custodian!
Once on the site, you can read a profile of each finalist by clicking on their photo.
