A woman who worked as a school janitor for nearly 40 years has been honoured in a special way, with a school named after her in recognition of her years of dedication to students.
According to a report by The Washington Post, Marilyn Hampton spent 39 years working with the Aubrey Independent School District in Texas. Her career at the school district started in 1983. She retired in 2022.
For nearly 4 decades, Hampton cleaned the district’s schools, but she was also widely known for giving students school supplies, lunch money, homework help and comfort. “I always called myself a school helper,” she told The Washington Post.
School named after janitor
Hampton was left in tears when she discovered that the district’s new elementary school would bear her name. She had arrived at what she thought was a regular school board meeting when the superintendent asked her to unroll a red carpet bearing the words “Marilyn Hampton Elementary School”.
The district’s board unanimously voted to name its new elementary school after Hampton, who was widely known for going beyond her duties as a custodian to support students. “Janitors don’t get schools named after them. Most people like that don’t get noticed,” Hampton said.
Hampton’s journey from a school janitor to lead custodian
{{/usCountry}}The district’s board unanimously voted to name its new elementary school after Hampton, who was widely known for going beyond her duties as a custodian to support students. “Janitors don’t get schools named after them. Most people like that don’t get noticed,” Hampton said.
Hampton’s journey from a school janitor to lead custodian
{{/usCountry}}Hampton’s journey with the district began when she was 33. She initially approached the district office hoping to secure a job in the school library. However, with no library vacancies available, the superintendent offered her a custodial position, which she accepted.
At the time, the district had just one school building with around 600 students. While her responsibilities included cleaning classrooms, bathrooms and hallways, Hampton gradually became much more than a custodian to the children. She made it a point to know every student’s name and regularly helped them with school supplies, lunch money, homework and other necessities. She also offered comfort to children facing difficulties, intervened in bullying incidents and helped families struggling to afford groceries and educational supplies.
“It was easy to watch out for the kids. I loved them and they knew I was there,” she told the outlet.
According to The Washington Post, Hampton is the only one of her 8 siblings to graduate high school. She is the second eldest, and after her older brother joined the military when she was 12, she helped her mother care for her younger siblings.
Hampton raised five children as a single mother. She recalled having financial difficulties during her own school years. She said that she had nearly dropped out of high school because she could not afford school supplies, but was encouraged by her superintendent to continue studying.
“I knew what it was like to not have and to need somebody to help me, so I didn’t want them to be like that,” she said.
Hampton said that in her office she kept pens, pencils and notebooks for students to take whenever they needed them. She also coached youth soccer and served as a cheerleading sponsor. “Whatever they needed,” she said, recalling how she would even run across the street from her home to fetch an egg carton for a student’s science project.
School president recalls her kindness
Hampton’s impact extended beyond the students she directly helped. Jim Milacek, president of the Aubrey Independent School District board, recalled visiting Hampton’s home with his friends on a Saturday when they wanted to play basketball at school. Hampton readily agreed to accompany them and open the building.
Milacek, who graduated in 1985, said Hampton was always willing to help and often acted more like a school counsellor than a custodian. “Whatever the kids needed, she was just there to do it. She was always around,” he said.
Milacek said Hampton took the time to get to know each student. “You could tell she knew the students. She’s just the embodiment of being a selfless, caring person,” he said.
As the district expanded, Hampton became its lead custodian, overseeing other custodians and working across multiple campuses. Even after retiring in 2022, she continued to remain involved in the community, substituting at the district’s day care and volunteering at a nursing home.
“She was an educator regardless of her title,” Superintendent Shannon Saylor said, describing Hampton as someone who would do anything for a student. “She is just a kid champion. She will do anything for a student.”
New school to open in August 2027
Saylor said naming the new school after Hampton was an obvious choice, given her standing in the community and the district’s tradition of honouring longtime staff members. “Ms Marilyn is kind of a big deal in our community,” she said.
According to the outlet, Marilyn Hampton Elementary School, which will be the district’s fifth elementary campus, is scheduled to open in August 2027.
Reflecting on the recognition, Hampton said she hopes students who attend the school will carry forward the values she tried to teach throughout her career. “I would like them to be kind. And hopefully they will all have school supplies,” she said.