Missouri elementary school names building after beloved custodian
Swedeborg, Missouri — When residents in the small central Missouri community of Swedeborg decided earlier this year to name the primary campus building at Swedeborg District lll Elementary School, everyone knew it had to be after someone truly special.
"It has to be someone that you just know would be right," student Nate Lein told CBS News.
Throughout history, there have been many national figures who fit that bill. There have also been lots of famous Missourians who would have been great choices to celebrate and inspire.
But in the end, Swedeborg went with 64-year-old Claudene Wilson, the longtime custodian at the K-8 school.
"She's just really dedicated herself to this school," student Eli Huff said.
"You can get her like, a vacuum, and she'll appreciate it because she really likes cleaning," student Gunner Jennings added.
Wilson is so dedicated to the school that, over the past 30 years, she has taken on many additional responsibilities, including welcoming students when they arrive each day, transportation coordination, lunch duty, landscaping and facility operations.
"And the next thing I know, I was leaving at six in the morning and getting home about 7:30 at night," Wilson told CBS News of her work schedule.
Her motivation for doing all this?
"Kids, the kids is at your heart," she said.
On Aug. 26, the Swedeborg School Board voted unanimously for the new name, the Claudene Wilson Learning Center.
"That's what makes Claudene what she is," Swedeborg School Board President Chuck Boren said. "…These kids get sick, you think they go to the nurse to start with? They go to her. If they had a bad night, they go to her. And she's there for each and every one of them."
Today, there's really only one person in the whole community who remains unconvinced that Wilson deserved this honor — Wilson herself.
"It touches your heart, but I don't think my name needs to be up on a building somewhere," Wilson said.
In the U.S., most buildings and institutions are named after iconic figures who have done great things. And Swedeborg is no exception. This community just defines greatness a little differently.
Student Alex Lein said he wants to be just like Wilson.
"That's what everybody should want to be, you know," Lein said. "That's what I would want to be."