2021 Custodians Are Key Winner

After receiving 2,170 nominations from across the United States and Canada for incredible, deserving custodians, we’re excited and proud to announce the grand prize winner!

Alonzo Henley of Brownsville Middle School in Miami, Florida was presented with a $10,000 check for his school at a surprise celebration on Tuesday, June 1. Alonzo received a $500 gift card when he was selected as one of 12 contest finalists and will also receive a prize package of his choice valuing $5,000.

“Mr. Henley personifies all that’s good about the custodian community in our K-12 schools. He’s well-deserving to be our second Custodians are Key winner, but it was a hard decision.

We had so many worthy nominees, a testament to the great work happening on the cleaning front lines,”  David Huml, CEO, Tennant Company. “Custodians have been doing a heroic job this past year, and we couldn’t be more proud of our nominees.”

Alonzo has served the school in multiple capacities since 2005. He has been part of the security and custodial staff and is currently a school mentor, sponsoring the 5000 Role Models initiative for the past 15 years; he also played a key role in preparing the building for the school’s Reopen Smart Return Safe initiative. Henley worked over the summer to make sure students had a safe learning environment upon their return to the facility and conducted home visits to ensure students had all the resources they needed for the beginning of the school year.  

Alonzo was nominated by Brownsville Middle School Assistant Principal David Galarce who said, “The relationships he fosters with his Role Model mentees continue through their high school graduations and beyond. His impact among these young men is immeasurable. Mr. Henley becomes more like family to the young men he mentors, caring for them beyond anyone’s wildest expectation.”

Congratulations to Alonzo and Brownsville Middle School!